Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront Celebrates Grand Opening with Event

The Holiday Inn Milwaukee Riverfront hosted its grand opening celebration on Thursday, June 25, which marked the formal unveiling of an extensive $8 million dollar renovation. The hotel is managed by Greenbelt, Maryland-based Chesapeake Hospitality, one of the country’s fastest growing third party management companies.

Previously the Milwaukee River Hilton, the updated hotel features an expanded lobby offering an open gathering space for guests and a new bar area highlighting surrounding river views. The 160-guest rooms feature updated décor, new furniture and bathroom fixtures. In addition, the hotel’s Anchorage Restaurant rolled out a menu featuring a variety of seafood options along with more contemporary culinary offerings.

During the event, more than 300 people from the local business community, including political leaders, investors and clients, gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony and to celebrate the opening with live music, a murder mystery-themed tour of the property, food and beverages, giveaways and more.

Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy and Glendale Chamber of Commerce President Dale Smith along with Kim Sims from Chesapeake Hospitality and Nagib Lakhani, representing the new owners of the hotel, spoke about the hotel’s positioning for the future and its great opportunity to impact the local community.

“Our grand opening celebration was a testament to our approach to guest experience as well as our plan to continue to serve as a leading hospitality destination in the Milwaukee region,” said General Manager Brian Brooks. “The newly enhanced features of the hotel, including the revamped banquet room and riverside outdoor patio, are better suited to highlight our unique location, while improving our ability to service corporate events and other functions.”

Brooks brings years of experience in to his position. He most recently served as director of sales and marketing for Doubletree by Hilton Raleigh Brownstone-University, where he was responsible for sales and catering team leadership, revenue management and property marketing. He received the 2014 Chesapeake Hospitality award for both Group Sales Performance and Overall Performance. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Hospitality Management from East Carolina University.

“We are very excited to share with the community a hotel that leverages the ambience of the river with contemporary rooms and public areas for the residents of Glendale and Milwaukee. The fully renovated ballroom and other meeting spaces were designed to meet the sophisticated needs of area residents who have responded very warmly to these upgrades. We are particularly pleased to partner with IHG/Holiday Inn and Chesapeake Hospitality who bring a strong and loyal customer base along with a guest-centric management philosophy,” said Nagib Lakhani on behalf of the investor group who purchased the hotel and undertook the renovations.

Located at 4700 N. Port Washington Road, the hotel is conveniently located near Miller Park and the Potowotami Casino, with a 10-minute drive to entertainment in downtown Milwaukee.

Headquartered in Greenbelt, Md., just outside of Washington, D.C., Chesapeake Hospitality is a mid-sized, third-party hotel management company with a proven track record in both full- and select-service hotels. Ranked in the top 50 largest independent operators, the company manages properties under the Hilton, Starwood and InterContinental Hotel Group brand families. For additional information, visit the company’s website: www.chesapeakehospitality.com.