Chicago’s McCormick Place already has one hotel, the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, which is on track for a $110 million upgrade to be unveiled in the summer, but now the Metropolitan Pier & Exposition Authority-owned venue also will have a new 1,200 room anchor hotel attached to the building.

The new hotel will be connected by skybridge to McCormick’s West Building and, besides the new rooms, there will be a 400-seat restaurant and a grand and junior Ballroom.

“Building a headquarters hotel connected to McCormick Place is a major step in taking Chicago’s convention and meeting business to the next level,” said Jim Reilly, MPEA’s CEO.

He added, “Hundreds of additional nearby hotel rooms will strengthen our competitive edge and attract new business to Chicago. The hotel also will be a catalyst for revitalizing the convention center’s neighborhood.”

The new headquarters hotel is projected to attract approximately 15 new mid-market events per year to McCormick Place, generating roughly 80,000 additional attendees, according to MPEA officials.

"Increased visitation to Chicago delivers immediate value for the city's overall economic development efforts," said Don Welsh, president and CEO of Choose Chicago.

He added, “… As we work to further strengthen our position among our key competitors, this new property, coupled with the Hyatt McCormick Place renovation and expansion provides our sales team with the critical elements necessary to deliver a comprehensive package to customers.”

The number of hotel rooms within walking distance from the convention center will be doubled, especially with the opening of the Hyatt Regency’s new, 460-room tower in addition to the hotel’s current 800 rooms, also owned by MPEA.

“We look forward to the completion of the renovation and showcasing our new transformation,” said Paul Daly, general manager, Hyatt Regency.

He added, “Our state-of-the-art services and amenities, combined with even more guestroom availability directly connected to the nation’s largest convention center will allow Hyatt Regency McCormick Place to play an even larger role in both attracting and hosting Chicago’s top meetings and conventions.”

The Hyatt Regency is in Phases Two and Three of a three-part renovation and construction project that began in December 2011. There also will be theaddition of three new boardrooms and a new business center. 

The three phases include the 460 additional rooms, as well as a renovation of the existing rooms, the conference center, lobby and other key areas.

“We are eagerly anticipating the completion of the second tower and the existing hotel renovation this summer,” Reilly said.

He added, “The addition of on-site tower along with the newly renovated existing hotel will not only enhance the McCormick Place experience but also goes a long way toward drawing more trade show and meetings business to Chicago.”