City and university officials gathered at the construction site of the new Limelight Hotel and conference center on Wednesday to celebrate the building, as it is less than a year from its scheduled opening.

The University of Colorado Boulder, city officials and Aspen Hospitality have partnered to create the $130 million hotel on CU Boulder’s campus. The grand opening is planned for August.

Boulder Mayor Pro Tem Nicole Speer said the Limelight will be the largest conference center between Fort Collins and Denver, bringing people from around the world to Boulder. It is expected to help revitalize the University Hill neighborhood and stimulate the local economy.

“For me, this project highlights the strength of our collaboration and the shared vision between the University of Colorado, the University of Colorado Boulder and Aspen Hospitality,” Speer said.

The hotel and conference center will have 254 rooms, 25,000 square feet of meeting space, a 15,000-square-foot ballroom, a 5,000-square-foot outdoor event lawn and a 585-stall parking garage.

The hotel, located on the CU Boulder campus on the northeast corner of Broadway and University Avenue, will have a public courtyard, restaurant, retail space and a rooftop bar and pool.

CU Boulder Chancellor Justin Schwartz said the hotel will be a “space that is going to change the face of Boulder and CU for generations to come.”

Schwartz said the hotel will attract research conferences to Boulder and provide an event space for Boulder organizations that typically travel outside the city when planning larger conferences.

Andy Reed, the senior vice president for Aspen Hospitality, described the new hotel’s vibe when it open as one of laid-back luxury.

“Every Limelight is a hub for connection, and I couldn’t be more excited that we have such an opportunity here,” Reed said.

The Limelight Hotel Boulder will be LEED gold certified. LEED is a globally used green building rating system and an international symbol of excellence in sustainable building; the acronym stands for Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design.

The hotel will be six stories tall and all-electric, including electric vehicle charging stations and recycling and composting programs.

“I don’t know of another hotel this size in the country that’s all-electric, and it’s a huge, huge deal,” Reed said.

Lori Call, associate vice chancellor for local government and community relations, said discussions about building such a hotel began 23 to 26 years ago.

“This is a moment of pride, and it shows the power of partnership,” Call said.