ZION – The Illinois Beach Hotel will be opening its doors again this spring.
The facility has been upgraded, including new furnishings and landscaping, and will resume hosting weddings, family reunions and other groups, according to a news release.
Ortega National Parks, the new concessionaire, is a subsidiary company owned by Nolan Capital, a family business. Nolan Capital has ownership interests in national, state and local concession operations, retail endeavors, restaurant operations, manufacturing and real estate investments.
Ortega National Parks manages hotels, retail, marinas and food and beverage concessions in 40 parks, as well as 13 national forests and nearly 500 campgrounds.
“We are so pleased to be bringing this state treasure back to the Lake County residents,” Frank Pikus, CEO of Ortega National Parks, said in the news release. “We are proud to add the Illinois Beach resort to our family of managed companies.”
Illinois Beach Hotel will be the third property in Illinois to join the Ortega National Parks family. White Pines Lodge in Mount Morris and Starved Rock Lodge in Utica also are managed by Ortega National Parks.
“We’re thrilled to see the services at Illinois Beach open for business again,” Illinois Department of Natural Resources Director Colleen Callahan said in the release. “What’s more, we’re looking forward to partnering with Ortega National Parks to bring these services back to our park visitors. We know they bring the necessary experience and know-how to ensure our park visitors have the best experience possible.”
Located in Illinois Beach State Park, the hotel sits on the shores of Lake Michigan. The hotel features 92 rooms, an indoor swimming pool, restaurant and banquet facilities. The park features a new camp store with food concessions and a gift store that also will be managed by ONP. Visit illinoisbeachapply.com for a list of Ortega National Parks job openings.
For information on Illinois state parks and historic sites, visit 2.illinois.gov/dnr/parks.