First Hospitality Group and Hilton Worldwide entered into a 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, located in Chicago. Merritt Development Group will act as co-developer of the property.
“We are pleased to partner with [First Hospitality Group] 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,” Jim Holthouser, EVP, global brands, Hilton, said in a statement. “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 began Jan. 26, 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 encompass approximately 379,500 square feet of space across 23 floors, and will offer a combined 466 guestrooms 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,” Stephen Schwartz, founder and chairman at FHG, said in a statement. “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 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 meeting space totaling roughly 7,000 square feet.
The property will have a variety of dining options to appeal to all types of travelers, including:
- A rooftop dining lounge experience, which will be developed by Concentrics Restaurants, totaling 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 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.
- Separate Hampton and Home2 Suites dining/public areas dedicated to delivering their respective guests the brands’ complimentary breakfasts and business center offerings.
- Two street level restaurants – one upscale American/Italian and one bar/tavern.
- And a full Starbucks coffee shop accessible from Cermak Road.
FHG will own and manage the triple-brand hotel and manage the onsite Starbucks. McHugh/UJAMAA, a partnership between James McHugh Construction Co. and UJAMAA Construction, 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.