Best Western Hotels & Resorts (BW) President and CEO David Kong was joined by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Michael Madigan, Ward 13 Alderman Marty Quinn and Vīb developer Amit Patel at Tuesday’s ground breaking ceremony for the hotel. Vīb (as in vibrant) is BW’s new chic, hip urban boutique hotel.
“I am thrilled to be in Chicago breaking ground on Best Western’s exciting new boutique concept – Vīb. The Chicago hotel market is a perfect setting for this high energy, chic, urban hotel and will provide a contemporary hotel offering for today’s traveler,” said David Kong, president and CEO Best Western Hotels & Resorts.
The $8 million Chicago Vīb hotel project will create approximately 70 construction jobs, and more than 22 permanent jobs.
“Midway Airport is a vital economic engine for Chicago and this new hotel will enable it to meet its growing passenger traffic so it can continue to drive job creation and economic growth for our entire city,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “I want to thank Best Western and developer Mr. Patel for making this investment, which represents a tremendous vote of confidence in the future of Midway and the economic future of the entire City of Chicago.”
“Attracting economic development projects to the state is critical in moving Illinois forward,” added Michael Madigan, Illinois speaker of the House of Representatives. “I’m thrilled to be here today to support this project and the positive impact it will have on our local and state economy.”
The Chicago GLō is being developed on Cicero Avenue across from the upscale, high traffic Midway Hotel Complex, in the Chicago/Midway International Airport market, by entrepreneurs Balkrishna Patel and his sons Parth and Amit. With the unique size and shape of the site, this will be a very visible gateway three story, 74 room hotel. The area has seen a resurgence in commercial growth, with the city and local government spearheading the economic redevelopment of the area.
“We have been very selective about the type of development we wanted to bring to this area and Vîb met all of our criteria to improve a blighted city block, bring tax dollars to the city of Chicago and jobs to the area. Vîb is a marquee development project that will encourage further development in Ward 13” said Alderman Marty Quinn.
“Alderman Quinn has been a tremendous partner in bringing this project to life. He saw our development plans for Vīb and knew this would serve as a catalyst for the area – stimulating additional development and create a synergy with neighboring business,” said Vīb developer Amit Patel.
In addition to the Chicago Vīb, Best Western Hotels & Resorts has Vîb projects under development in Miami, Los Angeles, Staten Island, NY, Springfield, MO, Little Rock, AK, Seoul, South Korea, and Vientiane, Laos and is actively negotiating deals in key U.S. cities including Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, New Orleans, Scottsdale and San Diego.
