A second $450 million conventional center hotel for Downtown Detroit is being planned next to Huntington Place. The 600-room project is planned for the block surrounded by Cass Avenue, West Fort Street, Washington Boulevard and West Congress Street. The street is just north of Huntington Place as noted by Claude Molinari. Molinari leads Visit Detroit and also chairs the Detroit Regional Conventional Facility Authority.
He noted these remarks during a tourism meeting earlier this week. Conversely, the project comes in addition to the JW Marriott Detroit Water Square hotel project. The particular facility is under construction on the former Joe Louis Arena site. It will also have an accommodation of 600 rooms and tie into the convention center. Furthermore, it is set to open next year before the NCAA Final Four comes to town in the spring, according to Molinari.
Hotel developments across the United States are gradually and progressively advancing with projects such as the long-vacant Millennium Hotel in St. Louis makes commendable steps. The hotel is undergoing a $670 million transformation led by the Gateway Arch Park Foundation and The Cordish Companies, aiming to turn the long-vacant property into a mixed-use district. The south tower has been demolished, with North Tower demolition commencing in spring 2026, targeting a project completion that includes residential, office, and retail space.
Outlook on the Second Conventional Center Hotel for Downtown Detroit
The second conventional center hotel for Downtown Detroit is being developed by local-based Sterling Group. Local reports note that the project is worth $450 million and will require demolishing the full city block. These include a parking garage and the 16-story Fort Washington Plaza building. Once completed, Molinari notes the project will provide “much needed” additional hotel rooms.
Furthermore, he notes it will serve as a catalyst for attracting new conventions across the region. Tourism officials have been anticipating to draw more events to the city and grow the profile of Huntington Place. Currently, it is the 16th-largest convention center in the U.S. The tourism leader noted that, with this latest project, Detroit will soon have about 1,600 additional hotel rooms in and around downtown.
That includes The Detroit EDITION hotel at the Hudson’s Detroit development. It will also feature 227 rooms, along with the NoMad Detroit hotel and its 180 rooms coming to Michigan Central Station. The hotel construction push comes as Visit Detroit seeks to attract 25 million visitors.
Project Overview
- Project Name: Downtown Detroit Convention Center Hotel (Second Hotel)
- Project Type: Hospitality / convention center hotel
- Value: ~$450 million
- Capacity: ~600 rooms
- Purpose: Expand accommodation linked to convention activity
- Status: Planned
Key Stakeholders
- Developer: Sterling Group
- Authority: Detroit Regional Convention Facility Authority
- Tourism Body: Visit Detroit
- Key Figure: Claude Molinari
Location
- Site: Block near Huntington Place (Cass Ave / W Fort St / Washington Blvd / W Congress St)
- City: Detroit
- State: Michigan
- Country: United States
Scope
- 600-room convention hotel
- Integration with Huntington Place
- Demolition of existing structures on full city block
Funding / Delivery Model
- Privately developed project
- Large-scale urban redevelopment
- Linked to broader tourism and convention strategy
Status
- Planning stage
- Site identified for redevelopment
- Part of wider hotel expansion in Detroit
Key Risks & Challenges
- Site clearance and demolition requirements
- High development costs
- Market demand for convention-driven occupancy
Strategic Significance
- Expands hotel capacity in downtown Detroit
- Supports convention and tourism growth
- Complements nearby hotel developments
Related Developments
- JW Marriott Detroit Water Square (under construction)
- The Detroit EDITION
- Michigan Central Station hotel developments
