Navy Pier hotel to open Thursday, as the popular Chicago attraction prepares for crowds to return

This article was originally published at the Chicago Tribune.

A 223-room hotel at Navy Pier, delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, opens Thursday despite the rest of the lakefront attraction remaining closed.

The Sable Hotel had been scheduled to open Nov. 1, but days beforehand its developer, Robert Habeeb, told the Tribune the opening would be postponed until this month “because of the relentless nature of COVID and the market is in the doldrums.”

Despite few visitors staying in Chicago hotels and a lack of activity at Navy Pier, Habeeb, CEO of Maverick Hotels and Restaurants, said he was optimistic about the hotel’s future as COVID-19 vaccinations ramp up and Gov. J.B Pritzker prepares to introduce an incremental reopening plan for the state.

“After 14 months of being under lock and key, everybody is excited about starting to think about normal life again,” he said. “And we think that’s going to be the case.”

For the week ended March 13, hotel occupancy in Chicago was 37.9%, according to hotel industry market research firm STR. During the same week two years ago, which predates pandemic restrictions, occupancy was 67.4%.

Navy Pier plans to open in the spring but no date has been set, said spokesman Payal Patel.

The hotel will operate under the Curio Collection by Hilton umbrella. At least 15 rooms had been booked for the hotel’s opening day and 75 for Saturday. “We tell people, it’s probably the only time in history you’ll have Navy Pier to yourself,” Habeeb said.

Efforts are underway to prepare for the return of crowds to the venue, which is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. Navy Pier has partnered with several technology companies to monitor the number of people in and around the site.

One of those companies, Tokyo-based NTT, said Wednesday it will use optical sensors and other means to collect data to monitor the occupancy levels of various areas.

In a news release, the company said the pilot program would “set the foundation for a trip planning tool to share critical information empowering visitors to make the best decisions based on their goals, concerns and plans.” NTT said it will not retain the data.

Navy Pier has designated 25 zones that each have their own capacity limit. The pilot program will focus on parts of the Fifth Third Bank Family Pavilion, including the food court seating area near McDonald’s and nearby walkways, and one of the main entrance areas on the east end of the pier.

If a zone nears capacity, pier staff will encourage visitors to disperse, Patel said. The pier is also looking to continue using the technology after the pandemic, she said.

Before Navy Pier closed in September, staff used a different technology based on cellphone signals to track crowd sizes, Patel said. That had been in place before the pandemic, and pier staff will continue to use it with the new pilot program, she said.

NTT did not respond to a request for additional information.

Navy Pier temporarily closed in September to limit losses caused by lack of attendance. The pier, which had reopened in the summer after a previous shutdown, was anticipating its revenue would fall $20 million short of projections.

Read the article at the Chicago Tribune.