Illinois
- Chicago’s Residence Inn and SpringHill Suites debuted earlier this year with 253 guest rooms. The 27-story hotel—a 270-room Residence Inn and a 253-room SpringHill Suites—is the first dual-branded property of its kind, and offers free wireless and high-speed Internet access throughout the hotels as well as on-site meeting space. For more information, call the Residence Inn at 312.494.9301 or the SpringHill Suites at 312.644.4071 or visit www.chicagorivernorthhotel.com.
Indiana
- The Cambria Suites Indianapolis Airport hotel opened in June, marking the first Cambria Suites location for the state of Indiana. The 103-suite hotel features MP3 jacks in the guest suites and complimentary wired and wireless high-speed Internet access throughout the property. The hotel offers over 1,700 square feet of meeting space, with the largest of the property’s four meeting rooms able to accommodate up to 150 attendees. For more information, call 317.279.2394 or visit www.cambriasuitesinternationalairport.com.
- The $425 million JW Marriott Complex in Indianapolis recently broke ground, featuring 1,623 rooms at four Marriott facilities. The hotel development will include the JW Marriott Indianapolis, featuring 1,005 rooms; the Indianapolis Courtyard by Marriott Downtown, with 294 rooms; the Indianapolis Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Downtown, with 168 rooms; and the Indianapolis SpringHill Suites by Marriott Downtown, with 156 rooms. With 34 floors and standing 375 feet tall, the JW Marriott Indianapolis tower will be the tallest hotel in Indianapolis. The more than 105,000 square feet of meeting space will include one of the world’s largest Marriott hotel ballrooms, totaling 40,000 square feet. The project is slated for completion in 2011. For more information, call 317.573.6534 or visit www.marriott.com.
Kansas
- John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts plans to build a luxury Embassy Suites Hotel and adjacent conference center at the expanding Corporate Ridge office park in Olathe. The 11-story, 315-suite hotel and conference center, with 80,000 square feet of meeting space, will be managed by the Springfield, Mo.-based resort company. Construction on the multimillion-dollar project is expected to begin in the fall, with an opening slated for spring of 2010. The hotel and conference center will be Hammons’ fourth development in the Kansas City metropolitan area. Other Kansas City properties include the 236-suite Embassy Suites Hotel Kansas City–International Airport, 116-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton Kansas City International Airport and 152-suite Residence Inn Kansas City International Airport. For more information, call 417.864.4300 or visit www.jqhhotels.com.
Missouri
- The 295-room Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza in Kansas City was recently acquired by Noble Hospitality Fund and will undergo an $8.8 million renovation to all guest rooms, meeting spaces and public areas. The 19-story hotel boasts 16,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 42-seat amphitheater, two concierge levels, lobby lounge, executive business center, fitness center, and indoor swimming pool. The renovation will begin later this year and will result in upgrades to all guest rooms, ballroom and meeting space, as well as public areas. For more information, call 816.531.3000 or visit www.marriott.com.
Wisconsin
- Polynesian Properties Development is revitalizing the Polynesian Water Park Resort in Wisconsin Dells. The $20 million renovation will include a convention center, condominiums, waterpark attractions, and an upgrade of 300 guest rooms, each sporting 32-inch flat-screen televisions. The renovation plans for the indoor waterpark include 10,000 square feet of additional water play areas. Phase one of construction will begin after Labor Day, with the remodel of the first 100 units, construction of the overhead walkway connector and the new convention center. The second 100 units will be a part of the phase two construction and final phase three construction will include the final 100 units. For more information, call 608.254.2883 or visit www.dellspolynesian.com.