Peoria’s Hotel Pere Marquette.  Photo by Jason Howell.

PEORIA — For the first time since 1983, the historic Hotel Pere Marquette is going to shut down.
On December 2, the Hotel Pere Marquette will close to allow construction crews to transform the 84-year-old, 284-room hotel into a luxury, four-star hotel.

As part of a $92.8 million project, the Hotel Pere Marquette will be transformed into a Marriott hotel, while it is closed. The project also includes a 10-story, 116-room Marriott Courtyard hotel that will be built next to the Hotel Pere Marquette and include a skywalk that will extend over Fulton Street and connect to the Peoria Civic Center. 

Project Developer Gary Matthews of EM Properties announced the Hotel Pere Marquette, 501 Main St., Peoria, would close at a news conference on October 26.
“We made that decision because of the magnitude of what we’re doing,” said Matthews at the news conference. “We’re gutting the whole first floor. It would be too dangerous and difficult to work in those conditions and still have guests.”
As a result of the upcoming closure, several banquets, special events and hotel room reservations at the Hotel Pere Marquette have been canceled.
The Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau is helping clients of the Hotel Pere Marquette find other banquette facilities and hotels in the area.
“Right now, we’re working to make sure all visitors and clients are taken care of, that each is getting the best service to ensure an easy transition as we look for additional accommodations for them at other hotel properties,” said Leslie Williams, the communications and media relations manager for the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We’ve invited clients to town who need to move out of the Pere to tour other facilities. Clients are being very understanding and patient.”
According to Williams, several clients of the Hotel Pere Marquette will be relocated outside of Downtown Peoria.
“There is not enough hotel rooms downtown to accommodate the demand,” said Williams. “We’re having to relocate clients to other properties outside of the downtown area to fill the need.”
Although Peoria Civic Center events, such as the Illinois High School Association’s annual boys state basketball tournament, might suffer during the closure of the hotel, the Marriott development is expected to bring more events to the facility, once it is complete.
“The Pere is the headquarter hotel for the majority of events at the Peoria Civic Center,” said Williams. “Having a greater supply of rooms, updated accommodations, skyway and being located in close proximity to the Peoria Civic Center will help us attract more visitors and larger conventions and sporting events to Peoria. It will be an economic engine to benefit the city and hopefully improve Peoria’s downtown reputation.”
According to Williams, the hotel’s character and charm will not be compromised as a result of the renovation.
“The majority of the guests that stay at the hotel on a regular basis think it’s time for a renovation,” said Williams. “The building’s historic integrity will be maintained. The renovations will only make the property more appealing and improve the hotel’s legacy.”
The Hotel Pere Marquette portion of the Marriott project is expected to be complete by February 2013.