ROSEMONT, Ill.—First Hospitality Group (FHG) and Hilton announced their partnership to bring Hilton’s first triple-brand hotel, consisting of a Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn by Hilton, and Home2 Suites by Hilton, to North America’s largest convention center, McCormick Place. A formal announcement will be made tomorrow by FHG’s founder and chairman, Stephen Schwartz, and the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority’s CEO Lori Healey, among others, during a groundbreaking celebration for the project.
“We are pleased to partner with FHG on this one-of-a-kind project, a venture which is a true testament to the value proposition delivered to the owners of Hilton’s growing number of multi-brand hotels,” said Jim Holthouser, executive vice president, global brands, Hilton. “Serving as a premier hub of international commerce attracting nearly three million visitors a year, McCormick Place is the ideal location to build Hilton’s first triple-brand hotel and bring even greater exposure to three of our category-leading brands.”
Officially named the Hilton Garden Inn Chicago McCormick Center, the Hampton Inn by Hilton Chicago McCormick Center, and the Home2 Suites by Hilton Chicago McCormick Center, the project is expected to bring nearly 350 full-time jobs and more than 600 construction jobs to the local community. Construction will officially commence following today’s groundbreaking, with the triple-brand hotel slated to open in late 2018.
Located at 123 E. Cermak Road with a skybridge to the convention center, the Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton McCormick Center will offer travelers accommodations with value-added amenities that emphasize comfort, convenience and productivity. Upon completion, the hotel will encompass approximately 379,500 square feet, including 23 floors and a collective 466 guest rooms and suites.
“We are extremely excited to be developing and managing Hilton’s first triple-brand hotel, a unique opportunity that has enabled us to create a wealth of new employment opportunities and spur continued economic development within the local community,” said Schwartz. “McCormick Place has long needed fresh lodging options for visitors, and the award-winning upscale character of Hilton Garden Inn, the friendly yet authentic experience at Hampton and the modern approach to extended stay offered by Home2 Suites, will appeal to travelers with a wide variety of tastes, styles and desired price points.”
Like Hilton’s successful dual-brand building model, this first triple-brand hotel allows for shared construction and zoning, while providing savings on operational costs. The concept also creates larger and enhanced communal areas and amenities, benefiting both business and leisure travelers. Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Inn by Hilton and Home2 Suites by Hilton McCormick Center will have three distinct lobbies and dining areas – each catering to the needs of their respective guests—while sharing many common amenities, including an exercise room, indoor pool, business center and six rooms of extensive meeting space totaling roughly 7,000 square feet.
The property will have a variety of dining options to appeal to all types of travelers:
A rooftop dining lounge experience, which will be developed by Concentrics Restaurants, will total approximately 9,500 square feet on the 22nd floor of the hotel and serve breakfast, as well as lunch and a dinner offering of small plates and inventive drinks amidst sweeping views of Lake Michigan and downtown Chicago. The restaurant will serve as Hilton Garden Inn’s designated dining option, while welcoming guests staying with all three brands, as well as the general public.
The hotel will include separate Hampton and Home2 Suites dining/public areas dedicated to delivering their respective guests the brands’ complimentary breakfasts and business center offerings.
The property will include two street level restaurants—one upscale American/Italian and one bar/tavern. The hotel will house a full Starbucks coffee shop accessible from Cermak Road.
FHG will own and manage the triple-brand hotel and manage the onsite Starbucks. Merritt Development Group serves as the co-developer. McHugh/UJAMAA LLC, a partnership between James McHugh Construction Co. and UJAMAA Construction Inc., will serve as the general contractor for the project, with Antunovich Associates serving as the building architect, Todd Halamka + Partners as the hotel architect and Looney Associates as the interior designer.
