UVA Darden School Foundation Signs Management Agreement With FLIK Hospitality Group

The University of Virginia Darden School Foundation announced today that it has signed a management agreement with FLIK Hospitality Group. FLIK has been successfully working with Darden in an interim capacity for over six months. Darden’s Hospitality operations, including the Inn at Darden and staff, will transition to FLIK on 1 January 2017. Tom Cappucci of FLIK will serve as general manager.

The transition ensures that every Hospitality employee retains employment; the staff will be transferred with the same pay and position and comparable benefits.

Darden’s Hospitality operation includes the UVA Inn at Darden, which has 177 hotel rooms, is the only on-Grounds hotel at the University of Virginia and is adjacent to the recently renovated North Grounds Recreation Center. Chef-prepared cuisine is offered at the onsite restaurant, the Abbott Center Dining Room, at Café 67 and at an executive pub. The Inn at Darden Conference and Event Center offers over 69,000 square feet of conference and event space — including a 470-seat, state-of-the art auditorium — along with meeting planners and a catering team.

In 2016, Financial Times recognized Darden Executive Education, which is delivered by the Darden School Foundation, as No. 1 in the world for facilities (for the second year in a row) and for food and accommodation.

“As demand for our programs and facilities grows, we must plan for the future,” said Dean Krehmeyer, Darden’s chief of staff, who will continue to oversee Hospitality operations and the FLIK partnership. “We believe FLIK will be an exceptional partner in continuing to deliver the top-ranked experience for which Darden is and will continue to be known.”

Darden Hospitality enhances the Darden experience for students in Darden’s MBA, Executive MBA and Global Executive MBA and clients of Darden Executive Education, and serves a wide array of guests from around the world who seek a world-class atmosphere for learning and for lodging, meetings and celebrations.