Three development projects at Chicago O’Hare International (ORD) will more than double the current hotel space at the Chicago airport.
First, the Chicago Department of Aviation will finance and develop a new hotel adjacent to Terminal 5 that will provide ORD travelers with direct access to the terminal via the 24-hour Airport Transit System. The full-service hotel is projected to have 300 to 400 rooms, 25,000 to 65,000 square feet of conference space, banquet rooms, ballrooms and other amenities.
The second on-airport hotel will be part of a new mixed-use commercial development adjacent to the multi-modal, joint-use facility now under construction on the northeast side of O’Hare. This hotel will have 150 to 200 rooms, a business center, office space and other amenities, and it also will be linked to terminals via the transit system.
The final project involves renovating the existing O’Hare Hilton, with a goal of accommodating large-scale trade shows and events. Plans call for new amenities such as spas, extended room service, concierge service and quality restaurants and boutiques, according to plans unveiled by the city.
The hotels are expected to provide a significantly improved level of customer service and increase non-airline revenue to the city, says Ginger Evans, commissioner of the department of aviation. Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the hotels will benefit not just travelers but the entire city.
“O’Hare is the economic engine for Chicago – one of the main reasons why companies move to Chicago, bringing jobs for residents and economic growth to neighborhoods throughout the city,” he says. “With more hotels, we are building a better future for not just the airport and the millions of travelers who pass through it, but for our city too.”
The city plans to issue a request for proposals in the fall of 2016. Construction is slated to finish in 2020. The total investment for the hotels is slated at approximately $350 million.
