Cities in the Midwest are changing the landscape for meetings and events with a spate of upscale new openings as well as major renovations to luxury properties.
The Indiana Convention Center (ICC) in Indianapolis is undergoing a $710 million expansion that will add 143,500 sf of space as well as a new Signia by Hilton hotel that will connect directly to the convention center via climate-controlled skywalks. The project is slated for completion in 2026 and will include a 50,000-sf ballroom that will rank as one of the top 10 convention center ballrooms by size in the U.S. The expansion will add enough space to host two citywide conventions at the same time, and the new 800-room Signia will bring the city’s inventory to more than 5,500 hotel rooms directly connected to the ICC by covered skywalks.
“We had a customer who used the term ‘Next Big Thing’ for us recently,” says Visit Indy’s CEO Leonard Hoops. “It’s a major medical association, and traditionally they haven’t looked at Indy, but they said with the Signia by Hilton, the new ballroom, and the billions being invested in downtown Indianapolis right now, we’re the Next Big Thing and they are booking. We’re basically booking 10 to 12 years out for our associations and the types of groups that we do, so they wanted to get in on the Next Big Thing and book us now for 2033.”
The 170-room InterContinental Indianapolis is also set to open in fall 2024, located in a landmark building just off Monument Circle in the heart of Indy. The hotel will offer two restaurants as well as a rooftop bar with an unobstructed view of the iconic Lady Victory statue.
“We’re just starting to make some inroads on the corporate side,” says Hoops. “On the tech side, there are some who are now starting to pay attention to Indy as the ‘Silicon Prairie,’ as they are now calling us. We see the same things happening in Indy that we saw in Austin and Nashville before they became widely popular, and we believe that’s where we’re headed and where we’ll get to relatively quickly.”
“Chicago is a city full of experiences for the luxury traveler,” says Dustin Arnheim, Sr. VP, Sales & Services, Choose Chicago. “Visitors looking for a culinary experience unlike any other can visit Alinea or Smyth, both three-Michelin Star restaurants, or any of our other 19 Michelin-starred locations. Or visitors can take in an iconic Chicago event with a VIP pass to Lollapalooza, the NASCAR Chicago Street Race or the James Beard Awards. Finally, we offer a number of helicopter tours of Chicago for the traveler looking to experience our beauty from the air—soon, visitors will even be able to take a helicopter taxi from O’Hare Airport to downtown Chicago.”
St. Regis Chicago opened in 2023 offering 159 rooms and 33 suites, as well as 11,533 sf of event space including the 5,000-sf Astor Ballroom that can accommodate up to 500 for a reception. The hotel is located within a 101-story tower in the city’s Lakeshore East neighborhood and is the tallest building in the world designed by a female architect. Dining options include a Japanese restaurant and Tuscan steakhouse, and it boasts a 12,000-sf wellness floor featuring an outdoor sundeck, heated indoor pool and yoga studio.
The Hyatt Regency Chicago, which is the city’s largest hotel, is currently undergoing a $150 million renovation of all 2,032 guest rooms and suites as well as revitalization of its ballrooms and function spaces. The property boasts 240,000 sf of meeting and event space, and renovations will include new architectural lighting, fresh flooring, wall coverings, bathrooms, furniture and curated artwork in pre-function spaces.
The InterContinental Chicago is also undergoing a complete renovation of its Grand Tower guest rooms and adding six new event spaces. April 2023 saw the opening of the L7 by Lotte hotel, offering 191 guest rooms and 22 suites. Located inside a 14-story building originally constructed in 1912, the hotel offers 4,100 sf of meeting space and adds the PERILLA Korean American Steakhouse to Chicago’s dining scene.
“Authenticity is the name of the game,” says Arnheim. “More than ever before, travelers are looking for authentic experiences and want to see a city the way locals do. This is a key part of the Chicago experience—with attractions through our 77 vibrant neighborhoods and downtown, combined with our welcoming brand of Midwest hospitality, Chicago is uniquely positioned to attract meeting attendees looking for something more out of their meeting experience. Travelers to Chicago also benefit from our central location—with the world’s most connected airport and a convenient location in the heart of the Midwest, we are easily accessible via plane, train or automobile. This sets us apart from our top-tier competitors and is a major selling point for Chicago.”
The Hudson Tower—Detroit’s largest ground-up development in the past 50 years—will be the first Midwest location for global hospitality brand EDITION. With an anticipated opening date of 2027, The Detroit EDITION and The Residences will occupy 45 floors of the tower, which upon completion will be the second tallest building in Michigan’s history. The Detroit EDITION plans to offer four diverse F&B outlets, a pool, a large outdoor terrace, a fitness center, spa and more than 16,000 sf of event space.
Also new for Detroit, the Hotel David Whitney, Autograph Collection opened in March 2024 inside the historic David Whitney building in downtown Detroit. The 160-room hotel offers 9,915 sf of event space, as well as a 24-hour fitness center, Library Bar and restaurant Presley’s Kitchen, which features a 1920s and ‘30s art deco vibe.
“We believe that Detroit is the stage for creativity, inspiration and culture,” says Stan Smith, Sr. Director, Marketing, Visit Detroit. “And I think that if you look at those three areas in terms of creativity, in terms of our history, and in terms of the terrific creators and makers and artists that we have in the city right now, from a meeting planning standpoint, if your organization wants to have a stage to talk about creativity and inspiration and culture, then Detroit is the place to be, simply because we can draw so many assets from our community.”
Other luxury options for groups in Detroit include the Shinola Hotel, a hospitality venture by the Detroit-based manufacturer of luxury watches, bicycles and leather goods. The 129-room boutique hotel occupies two restored historic buildings and three new buildings in Detroit’s Central Business District and can accommodate groups of 12 to 200 for events. It offers six F&B concepts including award-winning Chef Andrew Carmellini’s Italian restaurant San Morello.
The Westin Book Cadillac Detroit reopened in December 2023 following a $23 million transformation that refreshed all 453 guest rooms as well as its public areas and 36,000 sf of meeting space. The historic hotel is celebrating its 100th anniversary since its original opening, as well as its 15th anniversary as The Westin Book Cadillac. Its restoration in 2008 is considered one of the first important catalysts of Detroit’s rejuvenation.
“Part of our charm is that Detroit wasn’t built from the ground up to be an attraction,” says Smith. “Detroit is a working town and it has a real community setting. When people come to Detroit, they feel like they’re part of the fabric of the city, versus coming in as a tourist and being corralled into one area. We encourage meeting attendees to get out among the city, get out two blocks from the convention center and actually experience the food, the retail that we have and the attractions.
“What makes us different is that you’re not getting a cookie-cutter approach to a meeting or an event, you’re getting a custom approach that allows us to show you the vibrancy of the city and show you what’s unique about the city in a way that makes it relevant to your group.”
“The history and heritage of the Harley-Davidson brand is what sets us apart in the Milwaukee area,” says Dave Larson, Director of Sales & Marketing at the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee. “Our 20-acre campus that lends itself for stunning photography is located right on the Menomonee River with views of downtown Milwaukee.”
The Harley-Davidson Museum can host events for groups of any size between 10 and 10,000 attendees. Venue options include Rumble, a second-story space overlooking the Menomonee River that can accommodate up to 400 and is ideal for formal events. Three meeting rooms called Peace, Bolt and Potato are suitable for breakfast meetings or smaller events ranging from 20 people to 100. The Museum’s newest venue The Garage opened in 2022 and offers 8,200 sf of space including garage doors that open to outdoor space, while The Suite offers a full state-of-the-art kitchen and can accommodate up to 500 attendees.
“Guests will always be looking for unique spaces, great food, and fantastic service,” says Larson. “Post-COVID, safety continues to be an important element of event planning as well as the ability to have remote options available in all event spaces. Because we have an exclusive onsite caterer, we are able to accommodate a wide variety of menu options.”
visitindy.com/meetings; choosechicago.com/meeting-planners; visitdetroit.com/meet-detroit/plan-detroit-meeting; harley-davidson.com/us/en/museum.html