Illinois
- Chicago’s Hyatt Regency McCormick Place began a $110 million expansion and renovation. To be completed in three phases, the project will add 460 rooms in a new tower and will update the Hyatt’s coffee shop, lobby, current guest rooms and the Shor restaurant. The 25,000-square-foot Hyatt Conference Center will be remodeled and made into a more flexible space, and three new boardrooms and a business center will be added. For more information, call 312.567.1234 or visit www.mccormickplace.hyatt.com.
Michigan
- A 12,000-square-foot Hard Rock Cafe is planned to open this summer at the Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo with seating for 275 and a live music stage. Additionally, the Four Winds is constructing a new hotel tower with 250 new rooms and a 1,600-square-foot entertainment and event center. For more information, visit www.fourwindscasino.com.
Ohio
- Sage Hospitality’s Westin Cleveland Convention Center is scheduled to open in 2013, offering 481 rooms, a full-service restaurant and 26,000 square feet of meeting space. Located adjacent to Cleveland Medical Mart and the city’s convention complex, and offering views of Lake Erie, this will be the first Westin-brand property in Cleveland. For more information, visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
Wisconsin
- Sheboygan’s Blue Harbor Resort is undergoing a renovation and repositioning itself as a classic lakeside retreat by upgrading the lobby, two restaurants and all 182 guest rooms. The property added a new outdoor pool and cabana, new landscaping and new dining options. Located on the shores of Lake Michigan, Blue Harbor offers 16,800 square feet of meeting space, a 54,000-square-foot indoor waterpark and 64 villas. For more information, call 920.452.2900 or visit www.blueharborresort.com.