Virgin Hotels recently broke ground with the Lam Group on Virgin Hotels New York City in the NOMAD neighborhood between 29^th and 30^th streets. The property will become the brand’s flagship hotel upon its opening in 2018.

“New York City isn’t just a destination for the Virgin airlines, but a place where some of the most successful Virgin brands have been incubated, where we’ve stunned crowds with stunts and where some of our most devoted fans live. It’s a very special city to the Virgin brand and I’m elated that Virgin Hotels will soon call it home,” said Sir Richard Branson, founder, Virgin Group.

To commemorate the groundbreaking and the history Virgin has in the city, Branson joined Raul Leal, CEO, Virgin Hotels, to bury a Virgin time capsule with a chest of mementos from Virgin company moments in New York. Contents included a Virgin Cola can, Wham Glam Thank You Ma’am CD from the Times Square Virgin Megastore, Virgin Atlantic onboard salt and pepper shakers, Virgin Hotels key cards, Virgin America headphones and JFK boarding passes and photos.

The property is slated to offer 463 guestrooms, dubbed “chambers,” as well as a rooftop pool and multiple dining outlets. Virgin Hotels Chicago is now open and accepting reservations, with Nashville, New York and Dallas slated to open next.