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Site Scene

Illinois
  • The Hyatt Regency O’Hare re-opened Feb. 1 and is nearing completion of Phase I of a $60 million renovation. As part of the renovation project’s first phase, the hotel is scheduled to debut its updated and expanded meeting facilities, now measuring more than 110,000 square feet, in March, and the final elements of the first phase will be complete by April. Significant changes at the atrium-style hotel include updates and new design elements in all public areas that encourage social interaction and relaxation, as well as updates to the Stay Fit Health Club and guest check-in desks. A temporary restaurant is available to guests until the hotel’s signature restaurant O’H and the new Red Bar open April 1. The hotel’s Phase II and Phase III renovations will focus on the redesign of its 42 suites and 1,058 guest rooms, and will take place in 2008. Originally opened in 1971 and situated five minutes from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, the Hyatt Regency O’Hare features numerous recreational facilities, including a heated indoor swimming pool and an extensive fitness facility. Other hotel highlights include wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, a 24-hour, full-service business and computer center, massage service, and complimentary airport shuttle service. For more information, call 847.696.1234 or visit www.ohare.hyatt.com.

  • In February, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts and the town of Normal, Ill., celebrated the groundbreaking of a nine-story, 229-room Marriott-branded hotel and an accompanying 45,000-square-foot conference center. The upscale hotel, which will be owned by John Q. Hammons, and conference center, which will be owned by the town of Normal, are expected to open in fall 2008 and will complement other features of Normal’s renewal plan, such as a multimodal transportation system, the Children’s Discovery Museum, infrastructure and street improvements, and restoration and repairs to building facades. In addition, a 500-space parking deck will be connected to the hotel via a climate-controlled skywalk, and the conference center will be connected to the historic Normal Theater. For more information, visit www.jqhhotels.com.

  • The Westin Chicago Northwest opened in January. Formerly operating as a Wyndham-branded property, the hotel completed a property-wide renovation prior to raising the Westin flag. Situated in the city of Itasca’s Chancellory Business Park, approximately 12 miles from O’Hare International Airport and 27 miles from downtown Chicago, the hotel offers 408 guest rooms and 33 meeting rooms, including a 9,600-square-foot grand ballroom, three smaller ballrooms, the 6,700-square-foot Lakeside Pavilion, and an 84-seat lecture hall. Other hotel highlights include wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, a 24-hour business center, an extensive Westin WORKOUT Powered by Reebok Gym, an indoor swimming pool with a whirlpool, a coffee bar, a lobby bar, Shula’s Steakhouse, and Shula’s No Name Lounge. For more information, call 630.773.4000 or visit www.westin.com.

Indiana
  • The Hyatt Regency Indianapolis kicked off an $11 million renovation in January that focuses mainly on renovating and expanding its meeting facilities. Scheduled for completion in July, the project includes the development of an additional 10,000 square feet of meeting space, including an 8,000-square-foot ballroom and four other new meeting rooms, including an executive boardroom. The new meeting facilities will add to the hotel’s existing 25,000 square feet of meeting space, which includes a 9,400-square-foot ballroom. The renovation project also includes updating the hotel’s lobby with new stone flooring, carpeting, and furnishings. Connected to the Indiana Convention Center via skywalk, the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis features 497 guest rooms, wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, a full business center, a heated indoor swimming pool with a whirlpool, a modern fitness center, two restaurants, and the Champs Sports Bar. For more information, call 317.632.1234 or visit www.indianapolis.hyatt.com.

Minnesota
  • The Embassy Suites Hotel Saint Paul–Downtown completed a $2 million enhancement project that updated its guest suites and public areas, opened a new business center and expanded its fitness center. Located in the heart of downtown Saint Paul, within blocks of the Saint Paul River Centre convention complex, the Minnesota State Capitol and the Xcel Energy Center, among other attractions, the Embassy Suites Saint Paul–Downtown features 210 two-room guest suites, 3,200 square feet of meeting space, including five meeting rooms and an executive boardroom, wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, a business center, a swimming pool with a whirlpool, complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast, Woolley’s restaurant, and Cork’s Pub. For more information, call 651.224.5400 or visit www.embassystpaul.com.