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New Marriott Opens in Normal
A big piece of the re–development puzzle in Uptown Normal is now open for business.
As News 25's Eric Shangraw reports, the first guests at the new $60–million Marriott Hotel checked in early this afternoon.
Jan Miller and Adam Mauer, top volunteers at the Midwest Food Bank, are being rewarded for their efforts with a complimentary stay at the swank new Marriott.
With a massive spiral staircase in its' impressive foyer, and rooms ranging from $130.00 to $400.00 a night, Normal Mayor Chris Koos says this is now the finest hotel property between Chicago and St. Louis.
"This hotel is likely to put 80–to–100–thousand new people on the streets in Uptown Normal every year. What that will do for the local businesses, the restaurants, the shops in Uptown Normal is (hard to quantify). It is just a huge benefit for the community," said Koos.
Hotel occupancy is off to a good start. Its' adjacent to Illinois State University's campus and is already sold out for the schools' "parents weekend" two weeks from now.
"We can handle quite a few people. We do have 228 guest rooms as well as 23,000 square feet of conference and meeting space. So we’ve got a great market for individual corporate travelers to group travelers as well," said Marriott Sales and Marketing Director Heather VanVoorhis.
Around the corner from the Marriott is more new construction. This $26–million student housing and retail project, Uptown Crossing, will open next year.
A new signature round–about for traffic in the center of downtown Normal just opened in the last couple of weeks.
Other projects in the redevelopment plan have slowed with the national recession. But at the moment, Normal's prosperity is glowing brighter than most communities.
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