Ohio Hilton breaks ground on 28-story tower expansion

The Hilton Columbus (Ohio) Downtown began construction on a 28-story tower that will add 463 guestrooms. The expansion, slated to open in 2022, will make the hotel the first 1,000-room convention hotel in Columbus, as well as the largest hotel in the state. Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority owns the hotel and Hilton Management Services operates it.

The new tower will add 47,000 square feet of meeting space, taking the property’s total to 75,000 square feet. It will introduce four additional food-and-beverage outlets, including a new lobby bar, a rooftop bar and a wood-burning, open-fire concept restaurant. The Hilton Columbus Downtown will remain open while construction on the new tower continues.

“The addition of the tower to the Hilton Columbus Downtown will allow Columbus to attract new meetings and events business,” Don Brown, executive director, Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, said in a statement. “With the additional hotel inventory, we’ll be able to host high-profile, national events that will continue to highlight Columbus as a top destination.”

Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority is the owner and developer of the Greater Columbus Convention Center, Nationwide Arena and six convention center parking facilities as well as the Hilton Columbus.