Illinois
The Residence Inn Chicago Downtown/Loop opened as the brand’s largest and will be its urban flagship. The 380-room property offers a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom suites and is located in the financial district. The 7,500 square feet of meeting space includes 11 meeting rooms and a 1,400-square foot ballroom that can be divided into two separate spaces. The Monroe Rooms can accommodate 160 theater-style.
The Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers is now the Sheraton Grand Chicago, one of the brand’s new premier tier of Sheraton hotels and resorts. The 1,218-room hotel, located downtown on the Chicago River, has the largest ballroom in the city. The 40,000-square-foot space can accommodate 4,600 people and also has a 13,000-square-foot promenade. Overall, the property offers 125,000 square feet of meeting and event space that includes 43 breakout meeting rooms.
Kansas
Four historic buildings in downtown Topeka will be transformed into a 79-room boutique hotel and restaurant. Cyrus Hotel and Holliday Public House will occupy the four existing historic structures along with an additional tower. The property features over 10,000 square feet of event and meeting space with full catering services. Located one block from the Capitol building, the hotel and restaurant honor the city’s founder, Cyrus K. Holliday.
Greenwood Hospitality Group acquired the DoubleTree by Hilton Wichita Airport, the city’s second-largest hotel, and as part of the acquisition, Greenwood will renovate the 302-room property. A five-minute walk from Wichita Mid-Continent Airport terminals, the hotel features 22,000 square feet of meeting space and can accommodate 1,000 guests in the 7,000-square-foot Emerald Ballroom.
Minnesota
The JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America opened with 342 guest rooms. The Lobby Lounge offers beverages from local breweries and distilleries, wine and small plates, as well as “garden to glass” cocktails highlighting fresh and seasonal ingredients. The hotel features nearly 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a ballroom that can accommodate over 1,700 guests. There are 12 breakout rooms and the prefunction space has an open-air feeling with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Ohio
Crestline Hotels & Resorts, along with the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will develop and manage a hotel in Hall of Fame Village. The property, located in Canton, is expected to open in summer 2018 and will include approximately 250 guest rooms and a conference center. The Pro Football Hall of Fame has an Event Center featuring over 4,000 square feet of meeting space, including 900 square feet of prefunction space, and can hold 350 reception-style. Its Gold Jacket Lounge offers 2,050 square feet of space. Outside the Event Center the 3,960-square-foot Plaza Tent can accommodate over 400.