Stay up to date on the latest venue openings and property renovations, including these found in the Midwest.
Kansas
Wichita Falls welcomed a new multi-brand Hilton property in 2021, expanding the hotelier's growing footprint of multi-brand properties. Tru by Hilton & Home2 Suites by Hilton Wichita Falls debuted on Sikes Lake, near Midwestern State University. The four-story hotel comprises 151 rooms, with 76 Tru by Hilton rooms and 75 Home2 suites.
Because of the multi-brand concept, the property provides larger and enhanced communal areas and amenities than what would be standard at a standalone property. Guests can expect designated lobby and dining areas, and shared amenities like 24-hour fitness centers, an outdoor pool and outdoor fire pits and grills. Planners can work with 1,500 square feet of meeting space.
Missouri
The Kansas City suburb of Gladstone recently debuted a new lodging option. In January, Fairfield Inn & Suites Kansas City North/Gladstone opened just a few short blocks from Linden Square, the arts and entertainment center of Gladstone.
The property offers 111 guest rooms, 22 executive suites and amenities like an indoor swimming pool, fitness center, breakfast offerings and a cocktail lounge open in the evenings. The new-build hotel fills a need in the Gladstone community for guest accommodations for local weddings, sports events and meetings.
The hotel is within walking distance of the renowned Summit Grill, along with other shops and restaurants. Guests also have easy access to Kansas City International Airport, Kansas City sports venues, Northland and the greater Kansas City area.
Wisconsin
More details have been revealed about the expansion and reshaping of the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. The museum is one of the city’s top tourist destinations for riders and non-riders alike. The makeover of its 20-acre campus began last summer with the groundbreaking of a new year-round event space, known as the Garage, which is slated to welcome its first guests this spring.
The all-new Garage will boast more than 8,000 square feet of event space, with 14-foot floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open up to the H-D Museum’s park-like campus, with views of downtown Milwaukee and the Menomonee River. Booking is open now for private events.
The museum has also begun work on the transformation of its retail footprint. The current Shop, offering gifts and museum-branded merchandise, will move across the street, allowing it to expand to more than triple its current size. And work has also begun on the revitalized Experience Gallery, part of the collections on exhibit at the H-D Museum.
An Iconic Oklahoma City Skyscraper Is Revitalized
History is set to come to life in Oklahoma City this spring. From Coury Hospitality, The National, Autograph Collection will debut at the city’s First National Center in the heart of downtown. The 33-story Art Deco skyscraper originally opened in 1931 as a grand bank and office tower. Starting in 1941, it was also home to one of Oklahoma City’s most iconic private clubs, the Beacon Club.
Following one of the biggest renovations in the state’s history, the landmark building has been transformed into a hotel with 146 guest rooms, along with new apartment homes, restaurants, bars and retail offerings. The restoration of the property included repairs to murals, decorative painted ceilings, stone columns, vault doors and safes.
The Great Banking Hall has been fully restored and will be used as a public lobby. The basement and ground floor will comprise a combination of high-end retail, multiple restaurants and bars and other commercial spaces. The hotel will encompass the first eight floors, with rooms that pay tribute to the property’s original design elements.
Planners can make use of The National Ballroom for private events and functions, fit for up to 300 guests.
