A New Downtown Hotel Is Coming Rockford But When Will It Open?

Some areas of Rockford, Illinois have a lot of hotels, other areas not so much. With sporting event venues like the Indoor Sports Centers and U.W. Health Sports Factory, Rockford is getting the opportunity to host more and more tournaments. This is why Rockford runs out of hotel rooms from time to time.

Add BMO Harris Bank Center into the sports tourney events mix and area hotels are still taking a big hit. Even though Embassy Suites Rockford is a hop, skip, and jump away from "the big orange box" Rockford could use a few more rental beds to accommodate guests' needs.

Embassy Suites offer many rooms, 160 to be exact, but those can sell out too. So where do visitors go next? Do any of those "hotels" along 11th street/Highway 251 still operate? Are there way more Airbnb options in the Rockford area than I can think of? Coincidentally, there is a new hotel coming to downtown Rockford.

The location indicator on the photo above is where Rockford's Millenium Center used to be. It has been a few different kinds of business over the years but has sat empty for some time. In 2019, it was announced it would become a European-style boutique lodging. A press release revealed the future, Hotel Kate, named after Kate F. O'Conner.

The space will have 47 hotel rooms, 47 rooms, a pool, a gym/fitness center, and a hospitality area for business meetings and private events. Dining is described as a "fast-casual environment" with food with local ingredients. As far as when Hotel Kate will open, your guess is as good as mine. Read more here.