TOPHOTELNEWS city focus: 21 projects currently in Chicago hotel pipeline

by | 27 Feb 2020 | Projects

The Windy City has an ambitious hotel pipeline. (Photo from Unspalsh by Ravi Patel)

Explore the Windy City’s impressive hotel pipeline and find out which artsy and design-centred properties will hit its market soon.

Chicago gears up for a busy few years, according to figures from the TOPHOTELPROJECTS database.

We check out the top brands and projects that are destined for the Windy City, as well as running through some of the most important numbers for the city’s hospitality industry.

Chicago bets on first-class properties

Chicago is clearly benefiting from the uptick in hotel development in the US after a few slow years.

With 21 projects on the horizon between now and 2023, the Windy City looks set to welcome a host of both first-class and luxury properties in the coming years.

The concentration in Chicago will be mostly in the first-class segment, with 14 projects compared to the luxury segments’ 7, slated to welcome guests in the next few years, bringing an additional 2,412 and 2,048 rooms respectively to the city.

2020 looks set to be a big year for the hospitality industry in Chicago, with eight of the 21 projects opening this year, followed by seven in 2021, two in 2022 and four in 2023 and beyond.

No doubt more projects will be added to this bustling pipeline in due course, as the majority of the projects (nine) are currently in the planning phase, with more to join in the future.

Brands and big projects

Chicago is targeting millennials and artsy types with their choice of brands, according to the figures reported by the TOPHOTELCONSTRUCTION database.

CitizenM and 21c Museum Hotels rank alongside JW Marriott Hotels and Resorts with one project each, although Marriott’s offering will bring the biggest key count (610) to the city.

CitizenM appeals to youthful travellers looking for a lifestyle experience, while 21c Museum Hotels focuses on art to draw in visitors.

The city’s biggest project will be the aforementioned JW Marriott offering, the JW Marriott Chicago, a refurbishment project of the existing JW Marriott hotel in the heart of Chicago’s financial district.

This hotel will undergo a complete transformation of its 610 rooms, including 29 suites, in celebration of the property’s ten-year anniversary. The new design will invoke the history of travel, using clean, curvilinear lines from luxury antique motor vehicles.

Notable projects

The Curio Collection by Hilton Navy Pier is a 222-key luxury new-build located beside the
Festival Hall on Navy Pier. With a full glass frontage overlooking Lake Michigan, guests will be treated to panoramic views of both the city and the lake and will have full access to the entertainment facilities in this part of the city.

The Wanda Vista Chicago is a 5-star hotel currently under construction and slated to open in the second quarter of this year. The 191-key hotel will appeal to business and leisure travellers alike and will form a significant part of the skyline, with its three stepped towers set to become a commanding presence.

The Study Hotel at the University of Chicago is a 12-storey business and conference hotel a stone’s throw away from the upcoming Rubenstein Forum and the proposed Obama Presidential Centre. 167 rooms will be provided in this 4-star new build property, due to open in 2021.