Illinois
- Swissotel Chicago began a $10 million renovation of its lobby and meeting space in December. Personal check-in pods will replace the front desk area, and meeting space, including private event suites and the grand ballroom, will be modernized and refurbished, unifying these areas with the 38,000-square-foot event center that opened in 2009. The 661-room hotel has 65,000 total square feet of event space, two on-site restaurants and offers green-meeting packages. For more information, call 312.565.0565 or visit www.swissotelchicago.com.
- Chicago venue Hotel 71 completed a $20 million renovation and now welcomes travelers with a modernized lobby, a new fitness center and business area, and 49 additionalguest rooms and suites. Also updated was the hotel’s 39th-floor penthouse ballroom, which now features contemporary carpet and draperies. Hoyt’s, the property’s tavern restaurant, offers 1,200 square feet of private event space with views of the Chicago River. For more information, call 312.346.7100 or visit www.hotel71.com.
Indiana
- The University of Notre Dame’s Morris Inn will undergo a $32 million upgrade. The historic property has been operated by the university for 60 years. Forty-eight guest rooms will be added, bringing the total to 132, and a 300-seat ballroom will be constructed. Additionally, three private dining rooms will be added and the building’s exterior architecture will be redesigned to more closely resemble the gothic-style of the surrounding campus structures. Work is expected to begin in summer 2012. For more information, visit www.morrisinn.nd.edu
Kansas
- The 135-room Hilton Garden Inn & Conference Center opened in Manhattan. The property features three meeting rooms totalling 17,278 square feet and is attached to the 15,500-square-foot Manhattan Conference Center. For more information, call 785.532.9116 or visit www.hiltongardeninn.com
Michigan
- Plans for a boutique Aloft Detroit hotel continue to move forward. Local development firms purchased the David Whitney building, designed by Daniel Burnham, in March 2011 for $3.3 million and plan to open a 136-room hotel and 100 rental apartments by summer 2014.
Minnesota
- Hyatt Regency Minneapolis began a $25 million renovation in December. The project includes a new 360-degree lobby bar and will upgrade the hotel’s guest rooms, suites, public spaces and restaurants. Completion is planned for spring 2012. The hotel is located on the Nicollet Mall and has 533 guest rooms and 74,000 square feet of flexible function space. For more information, call 612.370.1234 or visit www.minneapolis.hyatt.com
Missouri
- The former Hyatt Regency Crown Center changed hands and has reopened as Sheraton Kansas City at Crown Center. The 730-room hotel has over 10,000 square feet of technologically-equipped meeting space and is part of Sheraton’s three-year, 25,000-room brand expansion. The new Sheraton has a fully-equipped Core Performance fitness facility. The hotel is located adjacent to the 52,000-square-foot Crown Center Exhibit Hall and less than a mile from the Kansas City Convention Center. For more information, call or visit www.sheraton.com/kansascity.
South Dakota
- Following a vote passing a $115 million proposal, a new Sioux Falls Event Center is planned to open in fall 2014. Adjacent to the current convention center, the multipurpose event space will add 30,000 square feet of floor space. The venue will offer seating for up to 13,000 attendees for concerts, sporting events, exhibitions and trade shows. For more information, call 605.336.1620 or visit www.siouxfallscvb.com.