Marcu
Jan 16, 2007, 11:41 PM
Illinois resort part of big project
State Journal
Landmark Hotel & Resorts' first waterpark resort will be part of a much larger project in the northwest Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Ill., which is known for its convention business, has more than 10,000 hotel rooms and is near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
"It's right at the heart of everything," said Craig Stark, chief executive officer of S&L Hospitality. "It's extremely exciting for us.
Ground for the waterpark and resort is scheduled to be broken this year. The project, scheduled for completion in 2008 or 2009, is part of Rosemont Walk, a $600 million development. It will feature the five-star, 576-room Le Meridien Hotel, a 20-screen, $40 million Muvico movie theater and 600,000 square feet of office and retail space that will include a number of restaurants and clubs.
Rosemont officials had wanted a casino included in the project, but those plans are in limbo. Lund said his plans will forge ahead regardless of whether the casino is approved.
The property is one block from two Metra commuter train stops and adjacent to Interstate 294, where 400,000 motorists a day pass.
Landmark's hotel and waterpark resort will sit on 7.4 acres of land for which it paid $11 million.
"It's not cheap land by any means, but I think it's a great site," Lund said. "What Rosemont is trying to do is create a destination."
Landmark's resort, which does not yet have a name, will include 400 hotel suites from 450 to 900 square feet in an eight-story tower. The 150,000- square-foot waterpark would be Illinois' biggest and one of the largest in North America. In comparison, Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells has a 125,000 square-foot waterpark.
Unlike many of the Wisconsin Dells-area waterpark resorts, Landmark's Rosemont project will not include condominiums. The multi-level waterpark will include slides, a wave pool and a surfing simulator. Transparent tubes outside the building will allow passers-by to see swimmers on the slides, Lund said.
"We're not necessarily going to grow as big as Great Wolf (which has nine resorts and has plans for two more) but certainly we're going to cherry- pick our markets and go into some large urban markets around the country," Lund said. "It takes a lot time to develop these. We'll take one project at a time."
State Journal
Landmark Hotel & Resorts' first waterpark resort will be part of a much larger project in the northwest Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Ill., which is known for its convention business, has more than 10,000 hotel rooms and is near Chicago's O'Hare International Airport.
"It's right at the heart of everything," said Craig Stark, chief executive officer of S&L Hospitality. "It's extremely exciting for us.
Ground for the waterpark and resort is scheduled to be broken this year. The project, scheduled for completion in 2008 or 2009, is part of Rosemont Walk, a $600 million development. It will feature the five-star, 576-room Le Meridien Hotel, a 20-screen, $40 million Muvico movie theater and 600,000 square feet of office and retail space that will include a number of restaurants and clubs.
Rosemont officials had wanted a casino included in the project, but those plans are in limbo. Lund said his plans will forge ahead regardless of whether the casino is approved.
The property is one block from two Metra commuter train stops and adjacent to Interstate 294, where 400,000 motorists a day pass.
Landmark's hotel and waterpark resort will sit on 7.4 acres of land for which it paid $11 million.
"It's not cheap land by any means, but I think it's a great site," Lund said. "What Rosemont is trying to do is create a destination."
Landmark's resort, which does not yet have a name, will include 400 hotel suites from 450 to 900 square feet in an eight-story tower. The 150,000- square-foot waterpark would be Illinois' biggest and one of the largest in North America. In comparison, Kalahari Resort in Wisconsin Dells has a 125,000 square-foot waterpark.
Unlike many of the Wisconsin Dells-area waterpark resorts, Landmark's Rosemont project will not include condominiums. The multi-level waterpark will include slides, a wave pool and a surfing simulator. Transparent tubes outside the building will allow passers-by to see swimmers on the slides, Lund said.
"We're not necessarily going to grow as big as Great Wolf (which has nine resorts and has plans for two more) but certainly we're going to cherry- pick our markets and go into some large urban markets around the country," Lund said. "It takes a lot time to develop these. We'll take one project at a time."