Detroit's next big riverfront headliner is still a construction zone, but the future JW Marriott at Water Square is already locking in business years out. Less than a year before opening, conference organizers have booked room blocks through 2029, a sign that planners are hoping the hotel finally fills the city's long-standing convention gap.
The 25-story luxury tower is going up on the former Joe Louis Arena site and is set to connect directly to Huntington Place with a pedestrian skybridge. Developers are pitching the project as a two-for-one: a high-end stay for guests and a badly needed expansion of downtown's meeting space in time for major 2027 events.
According to Crain's Detroit Business, groups have already reserved blocks into 2028 and 2029 even though the hotel is still under construction. Planners are touting that early demand as proof that a convention-connected luxury hotel on the riverfront is not just a nice-to-have, but something organizers have been waiting on.
Hotel specs and event space
Venue details from JW Marriott show the Water Square property is planned with 601 guestrooms, including 44 suites, along with a spa, fitness center and multiple dining venues.
For the convention crowd, listings show about 53,000 square feet of meeting and event space, with two large ballrooms of roughly 17,000 and 13,000 square feet, according to Cvent. On paper, that gives Huntington Place a significant hotel partner right across the way instead of blocks down the street.
Public incentives and price tag
The project carries a nearly $400 million price tag, according to Michigan's press release. To help make the numbers work, the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a 30-year Renaissance Zone, and the city granted a Public Act 210 certificate.
Reporting from BridgeDetroit pegs the Renaissance Zone value at about $130.6 million and the PA 210 abatement at $11.6 million, with roughly $48.5 million in state reimbursement for school and library taxes.
Why a connected hotel matters
Developers and Visit Detroit say a hotel physically attached to Huntington Place should let the city compete for larger conventions that previously went elsewhere. In the convention world, a skybridge can be the difference between making the short list and never getting a bid.
Construction crews started work in April 2024, and the team is aiming for an early 2027 opening, timed to be ready for the NCAA Final Four, according to WXYZ.
Restaurant anchor and riverfront push
Inside the hotel, Joe Vicari's Andiamo Italian Chophouse has been announced as an anchor tenant, shifting one of the brand’s downtown locations onto the riverfront. The restaurant deal and the broader dining lineup for the hotel were reported last October, per Axios.
Jobs and the economic pitch
Officials argue that the incentives will be offset by long-term economic gains. State materials estimate hundreds of construction jobs and roughly 350 operating roles once the hotel is up and running, according to Michigan's press release.
At the same time, local reporting and community conversations have raised questions about the size of the abatements and whether they are worth it. Critics are likely to watch closely to see if the projected economic boosts actually show up in the years ahead, per BridgeDetroit.
What to watch next
In the coming months, the key storylines will be construction milestones, more confirmed group blocks and whether the hotel can turn early buzz into repeat convention business for Huntington Place. The property's event pages already invite group inquiries through JW Marriott, even as the tower continues to rise.
The early commitments reported by Crain's Detroit Business remain the clearest sign that organizers are planning years ahead. Whether that confidence pays off for Detroit's riverfront and its taxpayers is the part of the story that has yet to be written.
