Hammons Hotels opens Peoria, Ill., property

The eight-story Embassy Suites East Peoria–Hotel & Conference Center is owned by John Q. Hammons and managed by Hammons Hotels. It features 226 two-room suites and 35,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.

Hammons calls the hotel the first of its kind to be built in Peoria in more than 50 years, according to a company news release. The property booked $3 million in meetings and hotel room reservations revenue prior to opening, Hammons said in the release.

The property is located near Peoria RiverFront’s entertainment options, Peoria Chiefs’ baseball stadium O’Brien Field, the Greater Peoria Regional Airport, major corporations such as Caterpillar Inc.’s headquarters, and schools including Bradley University, University of Illinois College of Medicine and Illinois Central College.

With a staff of more than 200, the property also includes full-service restaurant Riverside Café, marketplace café Caffeina’s, a fitness center, an indoor pool and a sundeck.