McPier building on hotel room demand

Chicago's convention business is getting a short-term injection of construction jobs and a long-term assist with its competitiveness.

At the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority, which runs McCormick Place, designs are being finished for an addition to the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place hotel. Construction on the 15-story building at 2233 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive should start by year-end.

The new tower will add 460 rooms for conventioneers who crave proximity to McCormick Place. It'll arise atop a parking deck that was designed for the eventual addition. The existing 800-room Hyatt opened in 1998 and books up quickly for major events. Meeting planners long …