Why here?
Development is booming with gale force in the Windy City -- particularly in McCormick Square, the neighborhood surrounding McCormick Place. A brand new Marriott Marquis and arena (pictured) are slated to open their doors late this year, and retail establishments and restaurants are set to follow.
SPRUCED UP
• The SpringHill Suites Chicago O'Hare recently renovated all 245 of its guest rooms, adding new décor and beds and remodeling the bathrooms. The hotel offers 8,500 square feet of meeting space.
• The 455-room Embassy Suites by Hilton Chicago Downtown Magnificent Mile has turned its atrium into the largest greenhouse in the city, in the form of the 750-square foot Sky Garden.
PRIME ADDITION
The 452-room LondonHouseChicago, which opened last June, might soon welcome a new restaurant. According to reports, the hotel will open a 12,000-square-foot Ocean Prime on the second floor.
CHICAGO
Local Update
• The historic Atlantic Bank Building, across from Millennium Park on North Michigan Avenue, is slated to become the Hotel Julian. The $75 million project is expected to open in late 2018. The new hotel also will mark the launch of Oxford Capital Group's new luxury hotel brand, named in part after St. Julian Hospitaller, the patron saint of hospitality and travelers. The 218-room lifestyle property will debut in the landmark Brandon Marshall-designed building, incorporating a five-story addition on top of the existing structure. It will offer city views, a chef-driven signature restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating, and a fitness center.
• In late 2017, the 1,205-room Marriott Marquis Chicago will open alongside McCormick Place, directly connected to the convention center by skybridge. The 40-story, stylish new property will offer 93,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including two 25,000-square-foot ballrooms, 43,000 square feet of breakout space and a 4,000-square-foot event space on the 33rd floor, complete with sweeping views. An on-site Marketplace food court will feature locally sourced foods as well as local retail entrepreneurs. Additional amenities include a club lounge with complimentary breakfast and workspaces, fiber-optic high-speed Internet connectivity, a fitness facility and a business center.
• The aforementioned new Marriott Marquis Chicago is a key addition to McCormick Square, the name recently given to the burgeoning neighborhood that encompasses McCormick Place. Also set to debut this fall in the thriving district is the Wintrust Arena, a 10,000-seat, 300,000-square-foot facility expected to serve a variety of functions: The venue will host general sessions for meetings and conventions, as well as concerts, sports and other special events. The arena also will be the new home to the DePaul University's men's and women's basketball teams. Many retail establishments, restaurants and residences also are planned for McCormick Square.
• A tri-branded Hilton complex, the hotel company's first, is being built in McCormick Square. Slated to debut in late 2018 alongside McCormick Place, the development will consist of 466 guest rooms spread among a Hilton Garden Inn, a Hampton Inn and a Home2Suites.
MORE THAN ROCK 'N' ROLL
Navy Pier continues its evolution into a contemporary urban venue and event space with the opening of "Exhibitionism," an 18,000-square-foot immersive Rolling Stones exhibit, open through July.
NEW PLACES TO EAT
Three new restaurants have debuted at the Westin Chicago Northwest following a $14 million renovation. The hotel, outside of Schaumburg, Ill., alongside the Hamilton Lakes in Itasca, unveiled the grab-and-go Marketplace, the casual 400 Park Bistro and the upscale Seared Fine Dining.
Meeting Hotels: Among Chicago's largest meetings properties are the 2,019-room Hyatt Regency Chicago; 1,639-room Palmer House Hilton; 1,544-room Hilton Chicago; 1,258-room Hyatt Regency McCormick Place; 1,218-room Sheraton Grand Chicago; 1,173-room Chicago Marriott Downtown Magnificent Mile; 839-room Congress Plaza Hotel; 792-room InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile; 752-room Westin Michigan Avenue; 687-room Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park; 661-room Swissotel Chicago; 610-room JW Marriott Chicago; 560-room Renaissance Chicago Downtown; 535-room Drake Hotel; 483-room Allegro Chicago, a Kimpton Hotel; 452-room LondonHouse Chicago; 443-room Warwick Allerton Hotel Chicago; 434-room Ritz-Carlton, Chicago; 417-room Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile; 415-room Sofitel Chicago Water Tower, and 403-room W Chicago City Center.
To find and compare hotels, and send RFPs, visit mcvenues.com.
Convention Center: McCormick Place; exhibit space, approximately 2.6 million square feet; meeting space, 600,000 square feet; total number of meeting rooms, 173; (312) 791-7000
Taxes: Room tax, 17.4%; sales tax, 10.25%; total tax on hotel rooms, 17.4%
Group Activity: As part of the Fit Meetings Program at the JW Marriott Chicago and Spa at JW Chicago -- and in honor of American's favorite baseball city -- the venue launched a new group activity this spring, the 7th Inning Stretch Breakout Session. Led by Nike master trainer Jason Raynor, who has worked with the Chicago Cubs, the session features breathing, stretching and meditation exercises, all of which can be done in business attire, in 20 minutes or less.
Contact: Choose Chicago, (312) 567-8486">Choose Chicago, (312) 567-8486