Hotel Pere Marquette

Peoria City leaders continue to explore possible opportunities to restore vibrancy to the downtown area. In a recent interview with WCBU, City Manager Patrick Urich discusses how Peoria is eager to find ways to bring more people to the Central Business District.

Developers Gary Matthews and Monte Brannan are appealing their federal convictions on mail fraud and money laundering charges.

City council members hope the redevelopment plan will lead to fuller, expanded operations at the Pere Marquette building at 501 Main St.

Two Peoria men behind the redevelopment of the Hotel Pere Marquette and construction of the Courtyard by Marriott were found guilty of mail fraud and money laundering in federal court Friday.

Monte Brannan on Friday entered guilty pleas in Peoria federal court on three felony counts of concealment of bankruptcy assets.

The jury trial of two Peoria-area developers is underway this week.

A developer is proposing a new $57 million hotel and apartment building for downtown Peoria, with the city agreeing to reimburse costs through tax increment financing revenues.

The latest bomb threat at the hotel happened early Saturday morning, after an earlier incident was reported on Jan. 19.

Police are investigating another false bomb threat at a downtown Peoria hotel.

Former Hotel Pere Marquette developers Gary Matthews and Monte Brannan were indicted Tuesday on 21 federal felony counts of money laundering, consipracy…