CHICAGOLAND
- The Hyatt Regency McCormick Place (312.567.1234; www.mccormickplacehyatt.com) is in the midst of a $110 million renovation and expansion. The first phase began with the construction of a new 460-room tower, slated for completion by mid-2013. The second phase focuses on a redesign of the property’s coffee shop with additional seating and enhanced Wi-Fi. The final phase will begin later this year and include renovations of the lobby, 800 guest rooms and 25,000-square-foot Hyatt Conference Center. The 4,000-square-foot Prairie Center will also be redeveloped and new boardrooms and a business center will be added.
- The three-hotel White Lodging (219.472.2900; www.whitelodging.com) development is under way in the River North neighborhood of the city. The project will add three new properties under one roof, totaling 657 rooms and more than 2,000 square feet of meeting space;
a 272-room Aloft, a 208-room Hyatt and a 177-room Fairfield Inn & Suites. Construction
has topped out and opening is projected for August 2013.
- This spring Hyatt Regency O’Hare (847.696.1234; www.ohare.hyatt.com) in Rosemont completed a $3.3 million renovation of its 15,000-square-foot Rosemont Ballroom complex. The 1,096-room hotel offers more than 110,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
- The 217-room Holiday Inn Gurnee Convention Center (847.336.6300; www.holidayinn.com) reopened following a renovation earlier this year. The hotel offers eight meeting rooms totaling 10,000 square feet of banquet and event space.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
- Radisson John Deere Commons in Moline has undergone lobby and breakfast room renovations, making the property more efficient for groups. Guest room renovations are currently under way. Near John Deere’s 1,400-acre world headquarters, the John Deere Pavillion (309.765.1000; www.johndeereattractions.com) is celebrating its 15th anniversary this year and reopened following a complete interior renovation. There are several group factory tours, and exhibits include interactive displays, artifacts and the restored John Deere historic blacksmith shop.
- Recent renovations at the Holiday Inn Rock Island (309.794.1212; www.holidayinn.com) included a full remodel of guest rooms, updated corridors and new carpet, paint, wall coverings and ceiling tiles. The property’s 15,000 square feet of meeting space was recarpeted.
- Two-year-old Galena Brewing Company (815.776.9917; www.galenabrewery.com) celebrated the brewing of its 125th batch, and has now created more than 33,000 gallons of beer. The venue serves Midwestern fare and offers quarterly seasonal brews on tap. Private events with buffets, beer samplings and tours led by the brewmaster can be arranged for groups.
CENTRAL ILLINOIS
- Ground was broken this summer on a Hyatt Place property in downtown Champaign.
The hotel, scheduled to open in spring 2013, will feature 145 guest rooms.
- Marriott will take over management of Peoria’s historic Hotel Pere Marquette, opening in March 2013, and build a 10-story Courtyard by Marriott (800.228.9290; www.marriott.com) on the adjacent property. Hotel Pere Marquette’s 284 rooms will be refurbished and the new hotel will add 116 rooms. A new skywalk will connect the two properties by 2014.
- Springfield’s Prairie Capital Convention Center (217.788.8814; www.springfieldpccc.com) plans to finish a $16 million renovation, including enhancements to meeting rooms on the lower level, the lobby and loading docks, by the end of 2013. New first floor bathrooms and a food court will also be added. The convention center offers 40,000 square feet of column-free event space, plus 16 additional meeting rooms.
- The Peoria Riverfront Museum (309.686.7000; www.peoriariverfrontmuseum.org) and nearby Caterpillar Visitors Center (www.caterpillar.com) will open in October, spanning seven blocks and 86,000 square feet. The project is an expansion of the existing Lakeview Museum and Planetarium and incorporates many local organizations, including the Peoria Historical Society, the Peoria Regional Museum Society, the African American Hall of Fame and the Heartland Foundation.
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
- A Holiday Inn Express & Suites (740.389.4300; www.hiexpress.com) opened in Marion. The property features 101 guest rooms and a meeting room for up to 45 people.