Using collaboration to create a new anchor institution in the City of Battle Creek centered on Community Vibrancy, Inclusivity, and Economic Impact

Project Description

Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU), with the support of the City of Battle Creek and other community partners and stakeholders, rallied to secure funding to rejuvenate the new DoubleTree by Hilton Battle Creek, due to its key location, impact on the vibrancy of downtown, and its adjacent proximity to the Kellogg Arena, a 6,200-seat multipurpose venue, with the goal of creating a revenue-generating asset for ongoing economic development, plus a learning hotel.
After securing the hotel from the original owners due to renovations not being completed, BCU began working toward securing additional funding, gaining support from funds from the Michigan Economic Development Corp., American Rescue Plan Act dollars (City of Battle Creek and Calhoun County), and local partners – overall securing over $50 million in commitments from 13 different partners for the project, with the largest contributor being the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. After additional financing was secured, the project was underway.

Is your project easy to replicate in other communities (clear in its impact and execution for other communities)?

The situation of vacant buildings, challenged businesses, and other economic challenges is not a unique one in today’s world. We know many communities have properties similar to our former McCamly Plaza Hotel and hope our project can inspire them to partner with their local entities to bring innovation and revitalization back. We show that well-rounded stakeholders can collaborate to make such a project possible and include your community in ways that give everyone new ownership, such as featuring local businesses and engaging those creating arts and culture. We aspire for the SUITE Collaborative to serve as a source of inspiration. The educational and upskilling opportunities it offers aim to motivate not only other communities to join forces for a stronger talent pipeline and enhanced economic prosperity but also to prompt industries like Manufacturing and Healthcare to collaborate with local educational, workforce, and community partners in developing impactful training initiatives.

What is the Community Wealth Impact (based on one or more of the categories you selected) of your project?

This project is rich in its impact on community wealth, starting with the optics of the community watching this towering structure come back to life in Downtown Battle Creek. People are watching and sharing the visible progress. In particular, we see people snapping and sharing photos of the colored lights on the outside of the building. The unique learning hotel aspect of this project will build our community in multitudes, attracting, training, and upskilling a talented and diverse workforce. Our community has long supported and celebrated arts and culture, and this hotel project will continue to build and amplify our incredible local talent in these venues, with its new art gallery and event spaces.

Describe the creativity and originality of your project.

Our city has a wonderful history of collaboration to make big things happen. This hotel project is another shining example of our unique and special ability to work together – with multiple entities – to find success in and for our community. Several entities saw the loss and opportunity as the former McCamly Plaza Hotel sat empty and were able to collaborate to secure over $50 million in funding, and commitments from 13 different stakeholders. Together, we saw the importance of this downtown location, as well as the need to attract and build our local workforce. The goals of building this vibrancy and sustainability of our city rise to a level of importance for all of these collaborators. To offer a learning hotel lifts that importance even higher, as we offer an exciting new opportunity to those interested in the many facets of hospitality. They can learn and improve their skills, in turn educating and improving our workforce and overall community.