San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
Product brand
UnclaimedA beachfront Marriott-operated resort hotel and casino in the Condado district of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Last updated August 24, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is a beachfront resort hotel and casino in Condado, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The property occupies approximately four acres on the Atlantic beachfront and combines full-service lodging, leisure facilities, casino gaming, and meeting space. It is operated under the Marriott brand by Marriott International, while ownership has changed several times during the property's history. The hotel opened on October 4, 1963, as the Puerto Rico-Sheraton Hotel. Designed by architects Osvaldo L. Toro and Miguel Ferrer, the original property was positioned as a major beachfront hotel for San Juan and featured an Olympic-sized swimming pool. Sheraton sold the hotel in 1979 to San Juan Dupont Plaza Corp., after which it became the Dupont Plaza Hotel. The property became nationally associated with a catastrophic fire on December 31, 1986. The blaze, started during a labor and salary dispute by disgruntled employees, killed 97 people and injured 140 others. The incident led to extensive litigation, scrutiny of the hotel's ownership and operating structure, and a prolonged closure. A renovation completed in 1988 was intended to support a reopening under the name Palm Hotel and Casino, but Puerto Rican authorities refused an operating permit because sprinkler protection had not been installed throughout the building. The hotel therefore remained closed while legal and ownership issues continued. AIG acquired title to the shuttered property in June 1989 as part of settlements connected with claims arising from the fire. In 1992, AIG announced a large-scale redevelopment and planned Marriott rebranding. The renovated hotel reopened on February 16, 1995, as the San Juan Marriott Resort & Casino and later adopted the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino name. The Marriott affiliation repositioned the property as an upscale international resort serving leisure travelers, business visitors, conventions, and casino guests. Ownership subsequently passed from AIG-related interests to Rockwood Capital in August 2011. Rockwood sold the hotel in May 2017 to Jun Zhang, head of XLD Group, a California-based hospitality division and United States subsidiary of Sichuan Xinglida Group Enterprise. Marriott continued to operate the property under its brand. The resort sustained substantial damage from Hurricane Maria in September 2017. Its main tower remained open, while the smaller 123-room cabana wing was closed for repairs until early 2018. XLD also announced plans in December 2017 for a second Marriott-branded hotel on the property's former tennis-court site, although the cited material does not establish whether that proposal was completed. The resort's documented facilities include 525 hotel rooms, a casino, and eight meeting rooms totaling approximately 10,900 square feet of meeting space. Its market proposition rests on its oceanfront Condado location, access to San Juan's tourism and business infrastructure, Marriott service and distribution, resort amenities, and casino entertainment. The property is best understood as an individual hotel and casino asset operating within Marriott International's broader lodging system rather than as a standalone multinational consumer brand.
History
The property was designed by Osvaldo L. Toro and Miguel Ferrer and opened on October 4, 1963, as the Puerto Rico-Sheraton Hotel. Built directly on the Condado beach in San Juan, it was developed as a major resort hotel and included an Olympic-sized swimming pool. In 1979, Sheraton sold the hotel to San Juan Dupont Plaza Corp. of Delaware, and the property was renamed the Dupont Plaza Hotel. On December 31, 1986, the hotel suffered one of the most serious fires in United States hotel history. The fire was started by disgruntled employees during a labor and salary dispute. Ninety-seven people died and 140 were injured. The disaster produced extensive legal claims involving the hotel's ownership, operating companies, insurers, and other associated parties. The hotel remained closed while the parties addressed the physical damage, liability claims, and questions concerning its future operation. The ownership company renovated the building in 1988 at a reported cost of $9 million and intended to reopen it as the Palm Hotel and Casino. That reopening was cancelled in December 1988 when the Puerto Rican government refused to issue an operating permit. Authorities determined that sprinkler systems had been installed only on the first three floors rather than throughout the building. A federal trial concerning the fire began in San Juan on March 15, 1989. The litigation involved approximately 2,300 plaintiffs and numerous corporate defendants. AIG, which had provided insurance coverage for the fire, acquired title to the closed hotel in June 1989 as part of settlements related to the claims. In October 1992, AIG announced a complete renovation and conversion of the property into a Marriott-branded resort. The project was reported as costing $130 million. The hotel reopened on February 16, 1995, as the San Juan Marriott Resort & Casino and was later given the San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino name. The reopening marked the property's transition from the earlier Sheraton and Dupont Plaza identities to an internationally distributed Marriott lodging proposition. AIG sold the property to Rockwood Capital in August 2011 for a reported $133 million. Rockwood sold it in May 2017 for a reported $184 million to Jun Zhang, head of XLD Group. XLD's hospitality operation was described as a California-based division and United States subsidiary of Sichuan Xinglida Group Enterprise. Marriott remained the operating brand. Hurricane Maria affected Puerto Rico in September 2017 and damaged the resort. The main tower continued operating, but the smaller cabana wing, containing 123 rooms, sustained reported damage of $20 million and closed for renovation until early 2018. In December 2017, XLD announced plans to build a second Marriott-branded hotel on the resort's tennis-court site, with a proposed 2019 development timetable. The available reference does not establish whether that project was ultimately built. The documented resort contains 525 hotel rooms, a casino, and eight meeting rooms with an aggregate area of approximately 10,900 square feet. Its operating model combines hotel accommodation, beachfront leisure, casino gaming, events, and Marriott's reservation and service platform. The property's history is notable for repeated changes of name and ownership, a major fire and resulting legal proceedings, redevelopment under Marriott, hurricane recovery, and proposed expansion.
- 2017
XLD Group acquisition
[1]XLD Group interests acquire the resort from Rockwood Capital.
- 2017
Hurricane Maria damage and recovery
[1]The cabana wing is damaged and temporarily closed while the main tower remains operational.
- 2011
Rockwood Capital acquisition
[1]Rockwood Capital acquires the hotel from AIG-related ownership.
- 1995
Reopens as San Juan Marriott Resort & Casino
[1]The redeveloped property reopens under the Marriott brand on February 16.
- 1989
AIG acquires title during fire-claim settlements
[1]AIG takes title to the shuttered hotel as part of settlements related to claims from the fire.
- 1988
Renovation completed for Palm Hotel and Casino concept
[1]The property is renovated, but the proposed reopening is blocked by the denial of an operating permit over incomplete sprinkler installation.
- 1986
Dupont Plaza fire
[1]A major hotel fire kills 97 people and injures 140, leading to extensive litigation and closure.
- 1979
Property renamed Dupont Plaza Hotel
[1]Sheraton sells the hotel to San Juan Dupont Plaza Corp., which changes its name.
- 1963
Hotel opens as Puerto Rico-Sheraton Hotel
[1]The beachfront property opens in Condado, San Juan, with an Olympic-sized swimming pool.
Products and positioning
An upscale, full-service beachfront resort combining Marriott-branded lodging, leisure amenities, meetings, and casino entertainment in San Juan's Condado district.
Hotel lodging · 1995
Marriott resort accommodation
The core offering is full-service resort lodging in Condado, San Juan. The property is documented as having 525 rooms across its main hotel facilities and cabana accommodation. Its beachfront setting, Marriott affiliation, leisure amenities, and proximity to San Juan's tourism and business districts support both vacation and business travel demand.
Casino gaming
Stellaris Casino
The property's casino is an integrated entertainment offering within the resort. It complements hotel accommodation and beachfront leisure by giving guests access to casino gaming at the Condado property. The supplied reference confirms the existence of the casino but does not provide a current gaming mix, operating hours, or individual game details.
Hospitality events
Meetings and events
The resort provides eight meeting rooms with a combined area of approximately 10,900 square feet. This capacity supports conferences, business meetings, social events, and group travel connected to San Juan's visitor economy. Specific room names, capacities, and current event packages are not established by the supplied reference.
Leisure services · 1963
Beach and pool resort amenities
Beach access and resort leisure facilities are central to the property's identity. The original hotel was noted for an Olympic-sized swimming pool, while the modern resort proposition emphasizes beachfront accommodation and recreation. The cited material does not provide a complete current amenity inventory.
Controversies
1988
Operating permit denied over sprinkler coverage
Puerto Rican authorities refused to permit the planned Palm Hotel and Casino reopening because sprinkler systems had been installed only on the first three floors rather than throughout the building.
1986
Dupont Plaza Hotel fire
A fire started during a labor and salary dispute killed 97 people and injured 140. The event resulted in prolonged closure, major civil litigation, ownership changes, and subsequent scrutiny of the property's safety and corporate arrangements.
Brand decisions
2017
Rockwood Capital sells the resort to XLD Group interestsM&ABackground
Rockwood Capital owned the Marriott resort after acquiring it in 2011.
Action taken
Rockwood sold the property to Jun Zhang, head of XLD Group and its hospitality interests.
Aftermath
Marriott continued operating the property, while the new ownership later announced a possible second Marriott-branded hotel.
Reported sale price. $133 million acquisition by Rockwood Capital in August 2011 → $184 million sale in May 2017 (2011-2017)
2017
Proposal for a second Marriott-branded hotelStrategyBackground
After acquiring the resort, XLD considered expanding the property's lodging capacity.
Action taken
XLD announced plans for a second Marriott-branded hotel on the resort's tennis-court site, with a proposed 2019 timetable.
Aftermath
The supplied reference does not confirm whether the proposed second hotel was completed.
1992
AIG selects Marriott redevelopment and rebrandingStrategyBackground
Following the 1986 fire, litigation, closure, and an unsuccessful reopening plan, AIG sought to completely renovate and reposition the property.
Action taken
AIG announced a comprehensive renovation and planned to reopen the hotel under the Marriott brand.
Aftermath
The property reopened in 1995 as the San Juan Marriott Resort & Casino and later adopted the Stellaris Casino name.
Reported renovation cost. $130 million planned renovation (1992 announcement)
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/san-juan-marriott-resort-and-stellaris-casino · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled