Visit Detroit, the official destination marketing organization for the tri-county region of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties and the city of Detroit, last week outlined a successful 2025 calendar year and provided a glimpse into future activity.
As part of the presentation of its annual report, Visit Detroit announced a second hotel will be connected to Huntington Place in downtown Detroit in conjunction with the Detroit Regional Convention and Facility Authority (DRCFA) and Detroit-based developer Congress & Associates, an affiliate of the Sterling Group real estate firm.
The yet-to-be-named $450 million hotel comes on the heels of the 600-room JW Marriott Detroit Water Square hotel project, which is currently under construction on the former Joe Louis Arena site immediately west of Huntington Place.
The new unnamed hotel is expected to add approximately 600 rooms to the city’s inventory and be located immediately north of Huntington Place in an area that spans Congress, Fort, and Cass streets, along with Washington Boulevard.
Officials say the project will create more than 600 union construction jobs, 1,000 new permanent hospitality positions, and generate $100 million in annual spending. Preparing the site for construction is expected to begin in early 2027.
“This is another milestone for hotel development in Detroit and puts Huntington Place in a prime position to secure even more industry-leading meetings, conventions, and large-scale events,” says Claude Molinari, president and CEO of Visit Detroit and chairman of the DRCFA.
“We’re appreciative to once again collaborate with the team at the Sterling Group to develop a connected property that will be a differentiator for the region.”
Molinari also discussed the following topics during his Business Update, including:
- Including the new hotel development, more than 1,600 new hotel rooms are being added to downtown Detroit, including the JW Marriott Detroit Water Square on the west side of Huntington Place, The Detroit EDITION at Hudson’s Detroit, and the NoMad Hotel at Michigan Central Station — all set to open in 2027.
- The Detroit region was recently named to the MICHELIN Guide American Great Lakes edition, with anonymous inspectors are already in the field, making dining reservations and scouting for culinary gems. Along with Detroit’s consistent James Beard nominations, the destination’s entire culinary scene is being uplifted.
- In less than one year, Visit Detroit’s partnership with Italy’s Juventus Football Club has already tripled Detroit’s awareness among the club’s massive fanbase. Visit Detroit is also gearing up to host IPW at Huntington Place in 2028. IPW is the world’s premier travel trade show.
- Following the $213.6 million economic impact of the 2024 NFL Draft, Detroit is officially on the clock to host the 2027 Men’s Final Four, which will include five days of fan activations and the crowning of a national champion at Ford Field, and is expected to create an even greater economic impact. In 2028, Little Caesars Arena will host the Men’s Sweet 16 and Elite Eight.
For more information, Visit Detroit’s 2025 Annual Report can be accessed and downloaded by clicking here.
