MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis city officials announced on Tuesday that the development of a Loews Hotel downtown is cancelled, after years of being postponed.
A Loews Hotel was originally planned at 100 North Main Street in downtown Memphis. The site moved across from City Hall and included 500 rooms in the main structure with a parking garage and ballroom. The old Memphis Police Department was part of the hotel plan at one point.
The development was put on a hold in November 2020 due to financial complications from the pandemic, according to Memphis City Councilman JB Smiley. In June 2021, plans to build the new hotels were back in effect with the city stating that the new development would not include the former police building.
But the city said in a statement on Feb. 8, 2022:
While we are disappointed that Loews Hotels will not be coming to Memphis as planned, we remain encouraged by the continued growth of the industry, particularly in our downtown core. With the recent success of several hotels opening downtown, including the Hyatt Centric and a Hyatt Grand on the way, we are confident that our city and newly renovated convention center will continue to entice new development in this space.
The city also said it plans to create a development for improvements to the Sheraton Hotel. In Jan. 2019, owners of the Sheraton Hotel filed a lawsuit against the City of Memphis over Loews Hotels plans, stating that the city designated the building as an official Convention Center the year before.
Memphis Commission officials once signed a letter of intent that stated the hotel would be open no later than Dec. 31, 2020.
