CHICAGO — It is one thing to catch a game at Wrigley Field, Soldier Field or the United Center, but starting this winter sports-minded visitors will be able to live, eat and sleep inside a property that is being purpose-built to celebrate the Windy City’s world-famous athletic heritage.
Sports Illustrated Resorts confirms Chicago conversion project
Today Sports Illustrated announced “plans for a Sports Illustrated Resorts location in Chicago, Illinois.” According to the company, the forthcoming site represents the expanding brand’s third destination and its first in a city renowned for “the nation’s oldest ballpark, the NFL’s longest-standing stadium, and the largest arena in the country.”
The move ties directly into Chicago’s profile as “home to celebrated teams and legendary venues,” a tourism mix that already lures “over 55 million visitors each year.” From the North Side rooftops overlooking Wrigley to banners flying above Grant Park, the Windy City’s “deep-rooted sports culture and fiercely loyal fanbase” all but demanded a hospitality product that lets travelers immerse themselves in the action even after the final whistle.
Why Chicago—and why now?
“Chicago is where legends are made,” said Geoff Richards, chief operating officer at Travel + Leisure Co. “With more than 40 championship trophies across 11 professional and college teams, this city breathes sports in a way few places can match, with a passion that runs through generations of fans. With this new resort, we’re creating a destination where that same championship spirit lives year-round, combining the rich storytelling tradition of Sports Illustrated with the unmatched energy that makes Chicago home to some of the world’s most devoted fans.”
Richards’ remarks underscore a project that will lean hard into the heritage of a brand that boasts “more than 70-year legacy of the Sports Illustrated brand and the over 100 magazine covers featuring Chicago sports.” For visiting fans, the strategy translates into a bricks-and-mortar love letter to Bulls, Bears, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox and the college standouts whose exploits once filled SI’s famous pages.
What the conversion will look like
The development team is working with an existing hotel “in the Loop” that sits “in the heart of the city along the river, just a block off Michigan Avenue.” That structure will be “transformed into a Sports Illustrated-inspired resort, featuring a mix of approximately 250 units.”
Planned changes respect the building’s bones—originally a financial institution—while injecting unmistakable sports vibes. The release promises that the “updated lobby will honor the building’s origins as a historic financial institution by preserving its grand staircase,” all while layering in “striking imagery and contemporary, sports-inspired design elements.”
Food, drinks and fitness
- An “exclusive owner’s lounge” where timeshare or fractional owners can compare front-row memories.
- A “signature fitness center,” a nod to travelers who prefer to train with the discipline of their favorite athletes.
- A “vibrant street-level coffee shop” to caffeinate early-morning game-day rituals.
- An “inviting full-service restaurant” that should benefit from the Loop’s white-collar foot traffic as well as out-of-town visitors.
- A “lively sports bar” designed to broadcast the very contests being played a few L-train stops away.
Construction will occur while the property remains operational, a tactic the company labels its “preseason era.” According to Travel + Leisure Co., sports fans “will be able to enjoy the resort during its preseason era this winter, with project completion and full brand offering expected in late 2026.” Flexible, points-based vacation ownership sales are slated to begin “in early next year.”
Part of a multi-brand, multi-city strategy
The Chicago resort “reinforces the multi-brand strategy of Travel + Leisure Co. to expand its portfolio into new vacation experiences tailored for today’s lifestyle travelers.” It also dovetails with the goal “for Sports Illustrated Resorts to grow its national footprint,” adding to “previously announced locations in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Nashville, Tennessee.”
About the parent companies
Travel + Leisure Co. positions itself as “a leading leisure travel company, providing more than six million vacations to travelers around the world every year.” The enterprise fields “nearly 19,000 dedicated associates” and manages “a portfolio of vacation ownership, travel club, and lifestyle travel brands designed to meet the needs of the modern leisure traveler.”
Sports Illustrated, meanwhile, touts its credentials as “a 360-degree platform that unites athletes, teams and fans worldwide through quality content, innovative digital experiences, unforgettable events, and original products.” Beyond its award-winning magazine, SI operates SI Tickets, SI Studios, and, pertinent here, Sports Illustrated Resorts.
What travelers should know
For jet-setters plotting a 2024 or 2025 Chicago visit, the hotel will remain open even as it trades its old identity for a new uniform. That means you could be sipping an espresso in the future sports bar while workers install memorabilia along the mezzanine. If you prefer to see the finished product—complete with the full restaurant line-up and branded fitness center—schedule your stay for late 2026 or beyond.
Once sales launch next year, frequent Chicago visitors might consider the “flexible, points-based ownership options.” While the release did not specify pricing, points-based plans generally allow owners to bank or borrow yearly allotments, potentially providing a cost-effective route to annual rivalry-weekend pilgrimages.
Tips for Travelers
- Location intel: Being “just a block off Michigan Avenue” situates the resort within walking distance of the Chicago Riverwalk, the Art Institute, and a handful of CTA “L” stations for direct rides to Wrigley Field or Guaranteed Rate Field.
- Preseason vibe: Construction will be phased, so request a room on a completed floor and confirm any amenity closures when booking.
- Sports calendar syncing: If your main goal is a particular game—say, a Sunday Bears kickoff—factor in holiday weekends and potential playoff runs, which can spike citywide occupancy.
- Loyalty math: When points-based ownership opens, compare per-night condo assessments against the cash rates of nearby Loop hotels, especially during shoulder seasons.
- Local culture add-ons: Deep-dish pizza tours, river architecture cruises, and museum passes remain quintessential Chicago diversions between games.
The bottom line for fans and vacation owners
Chicago already delivers one of the world’s most concentrated clusters of professional franchises, historic arenas and post-victory celebration spots. Installing a 250-unit Sports Illustrated Resorts property in the city center gives travelers a new base camp that blends lodging, storytelling, and real-time sports fervor under one roof. Whether you plan to buy points, book nightly or simply grab a cold one at the forthcoming sports bar, the project aims to ensure that “championship spirit lives year-round.”
For further details or to track construction milestones, visit sportsillustratedresorts.com or follow the brand’s Instagram feed, as referenced in the original announcement.
