Ground broken on ‘game-changing’ Rockford hotel

ROCKFORD, Mich. (WOOD) — Project and community leaders gathered in downtown Rockford Thursday to celebrate the groundbreaking of a new hotel.

Hotel Rose is expected to open in the summer of 2025 at 12 S. Main Street near Bridge Street in Rockford. The years-in-the-making hotel will span an entire block, with 54 rooms, a fine-dining restaurant, a breakfast and lunch restaurant and three retail spaces.

The retail spots are all leased already, John Wheeler, the CEO of Wheeler Development Group, told News 8 after the groundbreaking ceremony Thursday. He added that it’s unusual for a project to be full so early on.

“(There’s) that much enthusiasm about the city of Rockford and about Hotel Rose,” he said.

Rockford City Manager Thad Beard said the hotel is a “game changer.” The city expects the $14 million investment will only bring more investment into the city and its downtown area.

“It’s been a long time coming. We started in 2008 and there’s been a lot of delays, issues and perseverance and now we’re excited to reap rewards and actually have this come to fruition. We think it’s going to be a great thing and it’s just exciting to see it actually come to reality,” he said. “Many people thought it wasn’t going to happen. And now they’re excited to see it actually did happen.”

Hotel Rose is expected to create 50 full-time jobs when it opens. The project is partially funded by a $3.2 million Michigan Community Revitalization Program loan from the Michigan Economic Development Organization.

Project leaders expect the hotel with draw more tourists to the area and envision it offering a spot for family members of residents to stay.

“We wanted to be part of the fabric and the core of the community,” Wheeler said. “It’s a very walkable community.…We want people that live (here) to walk in, have a drink.”

He said the team put a lot of work into designing the boutique hotel.

“We were able to create an interior design that is timeless — beautiful furniture, artwork,” he said. “When you see it, it’ll speak for itself. We hired the best to help us.”

Construction will take over a parking lot, and some have had concerns about the impact it will have on the downtown’s parking. But Beard said the city has “been very thoughtful in addressing those as a whole.”

“As a whole, everyone is very excited and anxious to see what’s going to happen,” he said. “It’s just a great day to celebrate.”

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