Press Release: Hilton Hotels Corp.
September 10, 2001
CHICAGO, IL -- Officials and business leaders from the City of Chicago, MCL Companies, and Hilton Hotels Corporation
today celebrated the opening of the 455-suite Embassy Suites Hotel® Chicago Downtown-Lakefront at a special
ribbon-cutting ceremony.
The newly constructed hotel represents a significant milestone for Hilton Hotels Corporation -- the 2001st hotel
in the company's system, coinciding with the year 2001. The property also is the cornerstone of a $1.5 billion,
upscale, mixed-use complex -- River East Center -- located near the City's landmark Navy Pier.
The hotel is owned by MCL Companies and managed by Hilton Hotels Corporation. The architect and interior design
firm for the hotel are Chicago-based Greg Randall of DeStefano and Partners and The Gettys Group, respectively.
The 17-story Embassy Suites Chicago Downtown-Lakefront represents the second largest hotel in the Embassy Suites
Hotels brand (after Battery Park-New York City) and is nearly twice the size of a typical Embassy Suites Hotel.
Participating in the ribbon-cutting ceremony were: Stephen F. Bollenbach, president and chief executive officer,
Hilton Hotels Corporation; Daniel McLean, president of MCL Companies; Mark Snyder, senior vice president -- brand
management, Embassy Suites Hotels; Steve Jung, general manager of the hotel; Burton Natarus, Alderman of the 42nd
Ward; and Dorothy Coyle, executive director, Office of Tourism/Department of Cultural Affairs for the City of Chicago.
Bollenbach said, ``Opening our 2001st hotel is a major milestone when considering that only two years ago the Hilton
system consisted of fewer than 300 hotels. Not only do we now feature the best brands in the hotel business, we
offer our guests and customers more places to stay and a wide range of products serving different needs and styles,''
said Bollenbach.
``Celebrating 2001 hotels during the year 2001 is a rare occasion and one made all the more fitting because Embassy
Suites Hotels -- the premier all-suite brand -- represents one of our newer family of Hilton brands. Additionally,
it is significant that this milestone opening is being celebrated in the City of Chicago, where Hilton has been
a strong corporate citizen for more than five decades, and currently has 12 hotels featuring more than 6,300 rooms,''
said Bollenbach.
The 13-acre River East project is located in the block bounded by Grand Avenue, Columbus Drive, the Chicago River
and Lake Shore Drive in Chicago's River East neighborhood, which currently is undergoing major redevelopment. The
complex serves as a focal point for the district and links together Michigan Avenue and Navy Pier, the city's two
most visited attractions.
``This is the largest urban project ever associated with Embassy Suites Hotels,'' said Snyder. ``The opening of
this hotel serves as a strong indication of our growing interest in anchoring mixed-use developments in major metropolitan
areas. The hotel's soaring atrium and relaxed atmosphere make it an attractive central gathering place within the
community. Featuring a design on the cutting edge of urban development, this property is one of the crown jewels
of the entire Embassy Suites Hotels brand.''
``We believe this hotel not only will anchor the River East section but also become a welcome and recognizable
addition to Chicago's skyline,'' said McLean, president and CEO of MCL Companies, developer of the project. ``The
Embassy Suites Hotels brand and reputation for upscale excellence will help set the tone for the River East neighborhood.
The hotel's spectacular views of Lake Shore Drive and Lake Michigan, as well as the convenience and amenities of
this strategically located all-suite hotel, will attract out-of-town business visitors and families.''
The Embassy Suites Hotel Chicago Downtown-Lakefront is clad in reflective glass and a combination of metal panel
pre-cast. Its 13-story atrium features a 40-foot long, 12-foot high waterfall cascading over a gray granite wall
into a reflective pool. The property features 12 floors with a total of 455 suites, including 227 king suites,
227 double/double suites and one Presidential Suite, as well as two function floors. From the first-floor reception
area, two glass shuttle elevators transport visitors to the fifth-floor lobby.
In addition to the hotel, River East Center will house a 58-story luxury condominium tower, restaurants, a 21-cinema
AMC Theatres complex, a Euro-spa, upscale retail space and 1,200 parking spaces within a four-story underground
parking structure.
Designed to appeal to both business and leisure travelers, each suite in the hotel offers a separate living room
and bedroom and provides a microwave oven, coffee maker, refrigerator, wet bar, two remote-controlled televisions,
two dual-line telephones, high-speed Internet access and a Dataport.
Hotel amenities include a swimming pool, sauna, whirlpool and state-of-the-art exercise facilities. An upscale
bistro, called 511 North, located directly off the lobby, is open 6:30 - 9:30 a.m. Monday through Friday and 7
a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday for complimentary full cooked-to-order breakfast. Lunch and dinner are served
11 a.m. to midnight daily. Additionally, guests receive complimentary nightly Manager's Reception(a), a USA Today
on weekdays, and concierge service.
Ideally suited to host functions for up to 550 guests, the hotel offers more than 11,000 square feet of meeting
space throughout, 16 breakout rooms and a 6,300-square-foot ballroom. Business services include faxing, photocopying,
secretarial services and computer laptop usage.
Members of the Hilton HHonors® guest reward program will be able to Double Dip®, or earn both Points &
Miles(TM), for every qualifying stay at the Embassy Suites Hotel Chicago Downtown-Lakefront.
River East was developed by MCL Companies, a full-range development company formed by Daniel E. McLean in 1976.
In addition to the River East development, MCL Companies is developing or has completed a number of residential
and commercial ventures in downtown Chicago, as well as the city's north, south and west sides, including Dearborn
Park II, Chicago Homes, Prairie Homes, the Residences at Central Station, The Pointe at Lincoln Park, The Oak Club,
Cornell Square, Old Town Square, The Homes of Mohawk North, Altgeld Club, The Chicago Homes on Altgeld, as well
as residential developments in Miami and Denver, Colo.
The Embassy Suites Hotel Chicago Downtown-Lakefront is located 20 miles from O'Hare International Airport and 11
miles from Midway Airport. The address is: 511 N. Columbus Drive, Chicago, IL 60611; phone: 312-836-5900; fax:
312-836-5901.
Embassy Suites Hotels, created in 1983, was the first all-suite upscale hotel brand to enter the industry and today
has more than 160 hotels. For the past three years, the brand has received the ``Highest Guest Satisfaction Among
All-Suite Hotel Chains'' (1999 and 2000) and ``Highest Guest Satisfaction Among Upscale Hotel Chains'' (2001) awards
in the J.D. Power and Associates Domestic Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study(SM).
To make reservations at an Embassy Suites Hotel in resort and destination areas, travelers can call 1-800-EMBASSY
or visit the Embassy Suites Hotels Web site at www.embassysuites.com. Embassy Suites Hotels is part of Hilton Hotels
Corp., recognized internationally as a preeminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises
more than 2,000 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership properties. Its portfolio includes many of the world's best
known and most highly regarded hotel brands, including Hilton, Conrad, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton
Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Harrison Conference Centers, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations Company,
Homewood Suites by Hilton, and Red Lion Hotels & Inns.
The following service marks are owned by Hilton Hospitality Inc.: Hilton®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Doubletree®,
Embassy Suites Hotels®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn & Suites®, Homewood Suites® by Hilton, Red
Lion Hotels & Inns®, Hilton Grand Vacations Company® and Conrad(TM). HHonors®, Double Dip®,
Double Dipping®, and Points & Miles(TM) are trademarks owned by Hilton HHonors Worldwide, L.L.C.
(a) Subject to state and local laws.
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Contact:
Hilton Brand Comm.
Kendra Walker, 310/205-4545
http://www.hilton.com
or
Margie Korshak Inc.
Jennifer Topolewski/Janie Goldberg-Dicks, 312/751-2121
or
Daly Gray
Chris Daly/Jerry Daly, 703/435-6293