Atlanta hotel giants Noble Investment Group paid $27.5 million for the Courtyard by Marriott at 1901 West End Ave. Thursday.

The 215-room, 11-suite, eight-floor hotel was owned by a conglomerate of California trusts and Moody National Bank. The group paid $29.4 million for the two tracts in 2006. The property was most recently appraised at $15 million.

Noble already owns the Marriott and adjoining conference center in Cool Springs and recently purchased a Holiday Inn in Memphis, which will be converted to a Marriott. Calls to the company Thursday for comment were not immediately returned.

Noble's purchase comes just days after the developers of a Homewood Suites a few blocks down West End said they plan to start work next month on their 192-room project.