Arkansas
Fifth Avenue Capital purchased the 228-room DoubleTree Little Rock and Waterford Hotel Groups has assumed management of the property. The downtown hotel features meeting space, an outdoor swimming pool, and is connected to the Robinson Center performing arts venue. It is two blocks from the 220,000-square-foot Statehouse Convention Center. The new owners announced plans for a $5 million property renovation. www.waterfordhotelgroup.com; www.doubletree.com
Indiana
Coming this year, the new Indianapolis Canopy hotel will be among the first 10 Canopy properties to open as part Hilton’s rollout of the new brand, located in the previously vacant Illinois Building. Canopy Hotels are designed to provide unique, simple neighborhood experiences and will incorporate technology into the guest experience, as well as touches like evening wine tastings, free Wi-Fi and free breakfast. www.hiltonworldwide.com
Plans are developing in Indianapolis for The Stamp, a new $40 million concert and entertainment venue that could be operational as soon as 2016. Led by local concert mogul Dave Lucas, the 15,000-seat venue would be built on the site of a former General Motors manufacturing plant that operated until the 1930s, salvaging parts and buildings from the old factory. www.indystar.com
Michigan
The Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center completed its $30 million, one-year renovation project. All 1,298 guest rooms and 100,000 square feet of meeting space were updated. The 70-floor hotel remained open throughout construction, closing a few levels at a time. Meeting spaces are spread throughout three floors, with 34 unique rooms. Flexible seating was added to prefunction space to encourage small gatherings. Located 25 minutes from the Detroit Metro Airport and five minutes from Canada, the Marriott can accommodate groups as large as 2,200 people. www.detroitmarriott.com
A new-build 78-room Hampton Inn Kalamazoo is now open. Operated by Odyssey Hotels, the hotel is located near the Kalamazoo/Battle Creek International Airport and offers 1,000 square feet of function space. Nearby attractions include the Gilmore Car Museum and local Michigan ski resorts like Bittersweet and Timber Ridge. www.hampton.com
Minnesota
Hell’s Kitchen, one of the spunkiest restaurants in Minneapolis, recently added a new Minneapolis-themed dining room to showcase its hometown. Every element of the room’s design was handcrafted in Minnesota by a team of woodworkers, construction workers, print shops, iron workers and glass artisans. Hell’s Kitchen offers unique private dining rooms, seating 12 to 125 people, or accommodating up to 325 guests for a standing reception. The underground chef-owned restaurant regularly hosts live music and almost everything they serve, down to the ketchup and peanut butter to the iced tea and cocktails, is made from scratch. www.hellskitcheninc.com
The Radisson Blu Mall of America upgraded its fitness offerings with the creation of a new #bluroutes program, a series of walking and running routes that start and end at the hotel. The routes vary from one to 11 miles and are accessible via the brand’s Radisson Blu One Touch app. Scenery varies from challenging terrain through the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge to a flat lap around the suburban streets near the Mall of America. The program is expected to roll out at other hotels this year. Meeting facilities at the Radisson Blu include 500 guest rooms, two ballrooms and 14 function rooms. www.radissonblu.com
Missouri
Lodge of the Four Seasons Resort at the Lake of the Ozarks will begin a multimillion-dollar renovation this year, through a partnership between Four Seasons Group and Access Hotels & Resorts. The waterfront lodge offers 359 guest rooms and more than 65,000 square feet of meeting space. Amenities include a full-service marina, Spa Shiki and five restaurants. The resort has access to 54 holes of golf and can accommodate 288 players at one time. The Japanese Gardens serves as a popular venue for up to 200 people. www.4seasonsresort.com
Ohio
The opening of the Red Lion Hotel-Cincinnati Sharonville marks the company’s first Ohio location. Sixteen miles from downtown Cincinnati, the 185-room hotel offers 17,000 square feet of function space, indoor and outdoor pools, a restaurant and fitness center. It is also located across from the Sharonville Convention Center, a 65,000-square-foot venue and the only LEED-certified venue in the greater Cincinnati area. www.redlion.com