Update 3:00pm
The project FAQ’s released after the morning press conference indicate that the size and scope of the project will increase from the original proposal at Washington and Walnut streets from 2015.
The new development will include:
- 175-200 hotel rooms
- 200 apartment beds
- Conference space for 1000 people
- 100,000 square feet of office space
- First floor retail
- 2 parking structures
The arena portion of the project will include more than just the spectator area. A sports complex that could be converted between ice and floor space with room for:
- 3 sheets of ice
- 4 full basketball courts
- 15 volleyball courts
- 24 wrestling mats
- room to host gymnastics events
The project will be loosely bounded by the railroad tracks on the east side. University ave. on the north, Neil/Walnut to the west, and Springfield ave. to the south.
Original Post
The downtown Champaign hotel and conference center project is changing directions, and locations.
Developer Hans Grotelueschen, along with the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District announced that the new hotel will move to land near the Illinois Terminal and may include a medium size arena.
In a release, Grotelueschen said “With the site’s expanded footprint (approximately 8-10 acres versus the original 4-acre site), and given DIA’s expressed interest in exploring Division I hockey, the opportunity to include an athletics event center in the plan makes the development project that much more attractive and impactful for the Champaign-Urbana community.”
Also drawing Grotelueschen to the site was the MTD’s plan of expanding the Illinois Terminal footprint: “When we were in the beginning planning stages for the development at Washington & Walnut,” explained Grotelueschen, “we quickly realized that we would have tremendous benefits from a location that was proximate to a transportation hub. I heard through the grapevine that MTD was considering an expansion of their terminal in downtown Champaign, and have been working toward the development of that site.”
The arena would be a medium size venue, approximately 5,000 seats, and would include infrastructure for a hockey team. U of I officials recently announced a feasibility study of adding a hockey team.
The project, which would grow from 4 acres to roughly 8 acres, would also include a hotel, which when Grotelueschen first announced the project included 150 hotel rooms, and conference space for up to 500.
City planning and development director Bruce Knight says that the new location accomplishes the same goals as the previous development: “It is in the same newly formed Tax Increment Finance District, brings new investment to downtown that builds the customer base for the many locally owned bars and resaurants in the area, and redevelops underutilized land. The new site has the added benefit of advancing a long time City Council goal of better connecting downtown and the University District. City staff is very excited to bring this concept to City Council for its consideration.”
The Champaign City council will study the proposal in a session on August 22nd.
