Southwest Ohio
- Louisville-based 21c Hotels will collaborate with the Cincinnati Center City Development Corporation on a $48 million project to convert the historic Metropole building into the 21c Cincinnati (www.21cmuseumhotel.com). The property will include 160 guest rooms, a contemporary art museum, a restaurant and meeting space.
- Homewood Suites by Hilton Cincinnati Hotel (513.772.8888; www.cincinnati.homewoodsuites.com) in Sharonville recently opened. The 111-unit property features studio, one- and two-bedroom suites with separate living and sleeping areas, as well as a 500-square-foot meeting room.
- In May, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (513.281.4700; www.cincinnatizoo.org) will debut the Historic Vine Street & Village, a $19.6 million project inspired by the zoo’s original architect, James McLaughlin.
Central Ohio
- The Battelle Grand Ballroom inside the Greater Columbus Convention Center (614.827.2500; www.columbusconventions.com) recently underwent a $40 million facelift and reopened in January with 74,000 square feet of space, making it the largest ballroom in Ohio.
- Construction is under way on the Hilton Convention Center Hotel (www.hilton.com), connected to the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Opening in fall 2012 with 532 rooms, the $160 million property will include 48 suites, 30,700 square feet of meeting space and a 900-car parking garage.
Northeast Ohio
- The Great Lakes Expo Center (www.greatlakesexpocenter.com) in Euclid opened in January, hosting the 67th Annual Cleveland Home & Garden Show as its first event. The 215,000-square-foot facility boasts 10 acres of free parking.
- The Pro Football Hall of Fame (330.456.8207; www.profootballhof.com) in Canton recently opened the Lamar Hunt Super Bowl Gallery, with dynamic displays and exciting interactive video kiosks highlighting every Super Bowl, the great plays and the game’s stars.
Northwest Ohio
- Imagination Station (419.244.2674; www.imaginationstationtoledo.org) in Toledo is showcasing Animation, a 6,000-square-foot interactive exhibit featuring the Cartoon Network. The exhibit runs through May 2.
- In honor of Toledo’s jazz genius, The Art Tatum Celebration Column was dedicated in September 2009 as the most expensive piece of public art ever installed in the city. San Francisco artist Cork Marcheschi conceived, designed and built the work, an illuminated, 30-foot sculpture of a twisting piano keyboard.