It stands there like a giant glass ghost. If you’ve driven down the Southfield Freeway lately, you’ve seen it—that massive, shimmering crescent-shaped tower at 600 Town Center Drive. People still call it the Hyatt Regency Dearborn Michigan, even though it hasn't actually been a Hyatt for over a decade. It’s one of those buildings that feels like it belongs to a future that never quite arrived, complete with memories of a monorail that used to zip people over to the Fairlane Town Center.
Honestly, the story of this hotel is weirder than most people realize. It’s not just a "closed hotel." It’s a saga of international money laundering, FBI seizures, and a revolving door of owners who keep promising a comeback that hasn't fully materialized.
The Glory Days of 600 Town Center Drive
When it opened back in 1976, this place was the peak of luxury. It was designed by Charles Luckman, the same architect who did Madison Square Garden and the original LAX. It was the second-largest hotel in Michigan, only beaten by the Marriott at the Renaissance Center in Detroit.
It had everything. A 14-story atrium. A rotating restaurant on the roof called ARCHES that gave you views of the Ford World Headquarters and the Detroit skyline. And then there was the monorail. Yes, a literal driverless "People Mover" (the Ford ACT system) that connected the hotel to the mall. It felt like The Jetsons in Dearborn.
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But things started to slide. Hyatt officially pulled their name off the building in 2012 because it just wasn't meeting their standards anymore. That was the beginning of the end for the "Hyatt" identity, leading to a confusing string of names like the Adoba, the Royal Dearborn, and finally, the Edward Hotel & Convention Center.
Why the Hyatt Regency Dearborn Michigan Actually Closed
Most people think it just went out of business. Not exactly. It was actually condemned. In December 2018, the City of Dearborn basically kicked everyone out because of massive safety violations. We're talking fire code issues that made the building "unfit for human occupancy."
The owner at the time was Xiao Hua "Edward" Gong. His story sounds like a Netflix thriller. He was a Chinese-born Canadian businessman who got caught up in a $200 million pyramid scheme investigation. The U.S. Marshals eventually seized the property. For years, the building sat rotting. Thieves broke in and stripped the copper wiring. Scavengers took what they could. It went from a 5-star landmark to an 18-story liability.
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The Current State of the Building (2026 Update)
So, what’s happening now? As of early 2026, there is finally a pulse. After a New York investment group (Rhodium Capital) failed to do anything and defaulted on their loan, a new player entered the game: Willowbrook LLC.
They bought the property for a fraction of its former value—around $5.9 million—and the Dearborn Planning Commission approved a massive redevelopment plan in 2025. Here is what the building is actually becoming:
- A Split Identity: It’s no longer going to be one massive hotel. The plan is to turn the tower into a mix of 258 market-rate apartments and a 216-room hotel.
- The Layout: Apartments will take up floors 6 through 13. The hotel will be tucked into floors 3, 4, and 5.
- New Amenities: There are plans for two restaurants and a coffee shop on the lower levels to bring some life back to the plaza.
The "Hyatt Regency Dearborn Michigan" as we knew it is officially dead, but the shell is being reborn as a residential hub. It makes sense. Dearborn has a massive housing shortage, and trying to fill 773 hotel rooms every night in the age of Airbnb was a losing battle.
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Common Misconceptions
- "It’s opening next month." People have been saying this since 2019. While construction has finally seen some movement under Willowbrook, large-scale renovations on a building that sat empty for seven years take a lot longer than a few months.
- "The monorail is coming back." Sadly, no. The monorail was dismantled years ago. The track is gone. You’re walking to the mall like everyone else.
- "It’s still a Hyatt." Nope. While the new owners have allegedly talked to major brands like Marriott and Hilton, Hyatt hasn't been attached to this project in any official capacity since 2012.
What You Need to Know if You’re Visiting
If you’re traveling to Dearborn and looking for the Hyatt, don’t try to book a room at 600 Town Center Drive just yet. You'll likely end up at the Hyatt Place Detroit/Dearborn on Michigan Avenue instead. It’s a much newer, smaller property that actually functions.
For those curious about the old "Death Star" building (as locals sometimes call the glass tower), you can still see it from the Fairlane Mall parking lot. Just don't try to go inside. Security is tight now, and the building is still very much a construction zone.
The real lesson of the Hyatt Regency Dearborn Michigan is that no building is too big to fail. It took fifty years to go from the crown jewel of Ford’s "Fairlane" vision to a seized asset, and it’s taking a small army of developers to bring it back to life.
If you are planning a trip to the area to see The Henry Ford Museum or Greenfield Village, stick to the hotels on the west side of town or the newer spots near the Southfield Freeway. The "Big Hyatt" is getting a second chance, but it's going to be a while before you can grab a drink on that 18th-floor rooftop again.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check for Hyatt Place: If you want the Hyatt experience in Dearborn, ensure you are booking the Hyatt Place Detroit/Dearborn at 21505 Michigan Ave, not the defunct Regency location.
- Follow Local News: Monitor the Dearborn City Council minutes or Crain's Detroit Business for the specific "Willowbrook" opening dates, as they are expected to announce the hotel brand partner by mid-2026.
- Explore Alternatives: If you need a large-scale hotel near Fairlane, look at the The Henry, Autograph Collection, which has taken over as the primary luxury option in the immediate vicinity.