Illinois
Hilton unveiled a new DoubleTree Hotel, the President Abraham Lincoln Springfield, renovating the lobby and 310 guest rooms. Located in Springfield’s historic downtown, the DoubleTree adjoins the Prairie Capital Convention Center and offers 15,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including 17 meeting rooms and a 6,700-square-foot ballroom.
Fairmont Chicago, Millennium Park unveiled a $2.5 million meeting space renovation. The Fairmont now offers 15 meeting rooms totaling 63,000 square feet. The meeting space update was the culmination of a $60 million, five-year renovation of the entire property emphasizing sustainability. New meeting spaces include the 1,360-square-foot Cuvee near the lobby and an executive boardroom on the 37th floor.
The 419-room Hyatt Chicago Magnificent Mile completed its $25 million renovation, updating all 419 guest rooms and meeting space and adding a new signature restaurant. The Hyatt offers 20,000 square feet of function space.
Kansas
The Holiday Inn and Suites Overland Park West unveiled a multimillion-dollar renovation of its meeting space in September. The property, which offers 10,000 square feet of meeting space, also updated more than half of its 190 guest rooms.
A $25 million waterpark development is proposed for Garden City, which will include a 96-room hotel and 7,000-square-foot restaurant in addition to the planned 22,000-square-foot waterpark. Led by hotelier Stone Development, the project has passed initial approval and plans construction to begin in spring 2013.
Michigan
Following a renovation and conversion the 149-room DoubleTree by Hilton is now open in Port Huron. The hotel is located near the site of the ongoing Blue Water Area Convention Center project. The DoubleTree offers 9,800 square feet of meeting space, including a 600-person ballroom.
Minnesota
The 256-room Courtyard Minneapolis Downtown opened in September with 243 guest rooms and more than 8,000 square feet of meeting space. The lobby was designed with flexible seating and an open floor plan to accommodate “pop-up meetings” and socialization.
Missouri
River City Casino, operated by Pinnacle Entertainment, opened a 200-room hotel in St. Louis as the final part of an $82 million expansion project. River City offers a 10,000-square-foot events center, five restaurants and casino entertainment.
Ohio
The Dayton Grand Hotel is planning a large renovation that will update the property’s bar and restaurant and rebrand it as a DoubleTree by Hilton in 2014. The hotel offers 184 guest rooms and space for meetings of up to 350 people.
A 109-room Homewood Suites by Hilton opened in Columbus with meeting facilities accommodating up to 80 people.