Developer Portman, in partnership with the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County, the State of Ohio, Cincinnati Center City Development Corp., The Port and Visit Cincy, have collaboration with Marriott International for the new hotel at the Cincinnati convention center. The 700-key hotel will join the Marriott Hotels brand portfolio and anchor Cincinnati’s reimagined Convention District.
The full-service Marriott hotel will be built just south of the newly-renovated Duke Energy Convention Center and is expected to have approximately 700 rooms, more than 62,000 square feet of meeting space, a 17,445-square-foot events terrace and upscale amenities. Connected to the convention center via skybridge, the hotel is also planned to include multiple ballrooms, ground-floor retail and an outdoor terrace overlooking 5th Street.
“Marriott Hotels is an iconic brand that brings global recognition, best-in-class service and a strong customer loyalty network,” Kaunteya Chitnis, managing director of hospitality at Portman Holdings, said in a statement. “Marriott’s involvement will help deliver a world-class hospitality experience in the heart of Cincinnati’s Convention District. This transformative project will catalyze economic growth and revitalization in the city, county, state and region.”
The Cincinnati Downtown Marriott is a component of Cincinnati’s broader Convention District Revitalization Plan, which also includes $264 million in renovations to the Duke Energy Convention Center and the improvement of surrounding public spaces, including Elm Street Plaza. The plaza will serve as an outdoor space for the convention center and feature public programming. The 780-space Convention Center Garage, purchased by 3CDC in 2023, will serve as the primary parking garage for the hotel, as well as parking for general convention business and downtown visitors. The garage is undergoing a $12 million renovation as part of the overall investment in the Convention District. The hotel will further enhance the area’s capacity to attract national conferences, trade shows and events, driving economic impact and job creation.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with Portman on the Cincinnati Downtown Marriott,” said Lisa Sexton, Marriott International senior vice president, full-service brands U.S. East Region and Canada. “Not only are we proud to expand hospitality offerings for guests and visitors of this iconic city, but we are immensely proud to be part of the revitalization of this district and Cincinnati’s continued growth.”
The hotel is being developed through a public-private partnership with financial support from the City of Cincinnati, Hamilton County and the State of Ohio. Both the City and County were briefed on the hotel project in June and expressed their support for moving forward. Early sitework has already commenced, with full-scale construction anticipated to continue in late 2025. The hotel is expected to open in 2028.
As part of the vision for the revitalized convention district, Marriott will collaborate closely with Visit Cincy and fellow project leaders to strengthen efforts to bring major meetings, conventions and events to the heart of downtown.