Battle Creek hotel reopens with hopes of economic boost

BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (WOOD) — The doors of the former McCamly Plaza Hotel in Battle Creek officially reopened Friday as the new DoubleTree by Hilton.

Developers say the transformation took $75 million and three years to complete. Area business owners hope the new “economic engine” will drive further revitalization to the district.

“We want to hold conventions here. We want to bring outsiders in to push them out into the downtown and spend their disposable dollars. That’s what we really mean by the economic engine,” said Joe Sobieralski, president and CEO of Battle Creek Unlimited. “Not to mention the operational jobs that are with this hotel.”

The 16-story building, located at 50 Capital Ave. SW, hosts 247 rooms.

Sobieralski says a classroom space will develop a “hospitality training ground,” providing room for both culinary courses and English as a second language class.

The opportunity for growth isn’t limited to within the hotel’s walls. According to Sobieralski, the project incorporated the community, too.

“You’ll find it very intentional as you walk throughout the facility that local businesses are procured, their items being procured in this hotel but also pushing them out to the other local establishments,” he said.

With $20 million a year expected in visitor spending, it’s a prospect that has downtown shops like Simply Sensational Berries buzzing with excitement during the district’s reawakening.

“We felt some of the foot traffic pick up, that type of thing. We’ve seen some of the new shops coming in,” said Larue Broadnax, an employee in the shop.

Since 2017, the shop has grown from selling frosted strawberries to serving lunch and dinner menus. Broadnax says the growth is exciting.

“That’s what every small business wants, you know, is people walking past the door and even coming in. So that is always a great thing for us,” Broadnax said.

Local Battle Creek eats are also in the hotel’s bar taps, like brews from Handmap Brewing. The goal is to draw hotel guests out of their rooms and into downtown.

“People are going to come in from out of town, stay at the hotel, hopefully enjoy things at the hotel, and come and also see Battle Creek and see what we have to offer,” said Jennifer Brown, co-owner of Handmap Brewing.

The brewery also brings in national music acts for live performances, but one struggle has been finding a place nearby for artists to stay — something expected to become easier with the hotel, Brown says.

She says the hotel’s grand opening has brought in a much-needed boost to business owners’ morale. It’s also adding to a sense of pride.

Having lived outside of Michigan for 27 years, Brown says it’s encouraging to see the growth in her hometown.

“We have a beautiful city,” Brown said. “I think a lot of people don’t know what Battle Creek looks like nowadays.”

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