TWA Hotel’s newest cocktail bar “flew” through Manhattan over the weekend before settling on the tarmac next to the hotel.
Known as “Connie,” this cocktail bar is a fully-restored 1958 Lockheed Constellation aircraft that flew for TWA for three years before retiring to the Boeing 707.
Connie’s travels throughout NYC was filmed as part of a documentary, The Rebirth of the TWA Flight Center, which will showcase the transformation of the old TWA terminal into the 512-room TWA Hotel set to open on May 15.
This weekend, Connie was trucked into Times Square and visited by Mayor Bill de Blasio who toured the refurbished piece of history.
“Our Connie is an important piece of New York’s rich aviation history,” MCR/MOTSE CEO and Managing Partner Tyler Morse said. “Partnering with the City of New York to bring Connie back to Times Square has been a dream of mine since 2016, when we began restoring the TWA terminal to its original 1962 condition.”
He was echoed by de Blasio who said, “We’re celebrating today our history. We’re celebrating what this means not only to New York City in general but to the people of Queens who are going to have all these great new jobs. We’re celebrating, for sure 4,000 new union jobs, good paying jobs.”
When visiting Connie at TWA Hotel, guests can explore the cockpit and order drinks and snacks inspired by the 1960s. In addition to this plane-turned-cocktail bar, TWA Hotel will feature a rooftop pool, observation deck, a 10,000-square-foot fitness center, six restaurants, eight bars and retail outlets.
