Plans to revive Chicago's McCormick Place, the city's largest convention center, with a surrounding entertainment district took a major step forward this week when city officials gathered to break ground on the Marriott Marquis Chicago Hotel, a $390-million,1,206-room facility that will put conventioneers in closer proximity to the venue, located miles south of the Loop.
After undergoing revisions, another component of the district, a new $164-million basketball arena for DePaul University's Blue Demons, is due to break ground in late September. Originally due to break ground this month, the project was delayed in order to raise portions of it to grade level, adding 12 feet to the height of the height of the facility.