Discover the latest hotel renovations and venue developments across the Midwest, from Chicago and Indianapolis to Detroit and Minneapolis. Explore new ballrooms, upgraded guest rooms, and large-scale convention center projects set to enhance group travel and events.
Illinois
Hyatt Centric Chicago O’Hare, a 206-room property located less than two miles from O’Hare International Airport, recently completed a revitalization project that includes upgrades to its lobby and guest rooms.
The property is located near Chicago favorites such as the Rosemont Theatre, Rivers Casino and Allstate Arena and features state-of-the-art recreational facilities, a full-service restaurant with a 50-seat patio, a complimentary airport shuttle and 7,600 square feet of event space. The hotel’s two largest spaces are the 4,000-square-foot Lindberg Ballroom, able to accommodate up to 300 attendees, and the Coleman Ballroom, able to accommodate up to 260.
[Related: Chicago Is Making a Comeback. How the City Is Set Up for Meetings and Events Success]
Indiana
The Indianapolis Airport Authority broke ground on a new $205.8 million hotel property that will be constructed on the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) terminal campus, fulfilling longstanding plans for a terminal-connected hotel at IND. The Westin Indianapolis Airport hotel will feature 253 guest rooms, a full-service restaurant, fitness center, a bar and lounge area, a walkway to the airport garage and 10,000 square feet of meeting space. The property has an anticipated completion date of December 2027.
Michigan
MGM Grand Detroit announced a $20 million renovation project that will include upgrades to the property’s 400 guest rooms and 65 suites, including new furniture, mattresses and refrigerators. The resort also plans to make upgrades to its IMMERSE Spa, pool and casino. The planned renovations come on the heels of a $15 million property enhancement completed in 2024, which introduced the LIT gaming lounge and upgrades to the resort’s HVAC system.
The resort features a 100,000-square-foot casino, which includes the city’s only premier poker room, and more than 30,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
Minnesota
Sheraton Minneapolis Downtown Convention Center, a newly rebranded 14-story hotel, resumed operations this summer after completing a $40 million renovation process.
[Related: Community-Focused Hotel and Venue Developments in MidAmerica]
Following six months of renovations, the property now features 321 redesigned guest rooms and suites, additional public spaces, an upgraded lobby, two new dining concepts and an indoor pool. The Sheraton Minneapolis Downtown Convention Center also offers 23,500 square feet of event space across 19 recently upgraded venues. The property also debuted new amenities such as soundproof booths for calls, a community workspace and small group gathering spaces.
Saint John’s Resort in Plymouth, Michigan, opened a new event venue called The Monarch that brings 24,000 square feet of new meeting space to the Detroit metro area. Able to accommodate up to 1,500 guests, The Monarch features 18-foot ceilings, crystal chandeliers and a 200-foot glass wall that opens to the resort’s 7,000-square-foot courtyard.
Saint John’s Resort also remains committed to its “Humanitarian Hotels” initiative, which diverts 100% of the resort’s net profits to educational and humanitarian causes locally and globally.
[Related: New Build Hotels, Corporate Wellness Programs and More Upgrades and Openings in MidAmerica]
A Blooming New Convention Center
The Monroe County Capital Improvement Board held a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Bloomington Convention Center project, which is set to open in 2027 and will significantly increase the amount of meeting and event space offered in the south-central Indiana city.
The project will expand what is currently known as the Monroe Convention Center, adding over 100,000 square feet of space to the facility, 70,000 of which will be event-capable. The new convention center will significantly expand the city’s ability to host larger groups, with the improvements allowing the facility to accommodate up to 600 attendees. There are also plans to include a 225-room convention center hotel as part of the development.
The current Monroe Convention Center building was originally built in 1923 as Graham Motor Sales, later becoming known as the Henry Ford Model T assembly plant and showroom. The facility hosts over 500 events per year but often has to turn away groups due to availability and capacity restrictions.
The new convention facility will offer direct access to the local Bloomington community, which is home to Indiana University, along with hundreds of restaurants, nightlife spots, shops, attractions and hotel rooms.
