By September on Kennedy Avenue right off of Interstate 80/94 construction of a Buffalo Wild Wings, Hampton Inn, and Flossmoor’s brewery will be underway. This will be a major addition to Hammond since there is only one other sit-down restaurant which is Cracker Barrel, excluding family owned businesses.

Executive director of Planning and Development of Hammond Phil Tallion says that these three businesses may undergo construction at the same time.

“But after Cracker Barrel, it would be only the second national sit-down chain in Hammond, the state’s fifth largest city, Tallion said. In the entire city of Hammond, we only have one mid-level chain as of right now. The rest are fast-food restaurants or family-owned restaurants. But we don’t really have a lot of the Applebee’s, T.G.I. Friday’s, and Chili’s. Now residents won’t have to go driving to another city to enjoy that type of restaurant. They can stay in Hammond and enjoy it here, and that’s what we want.”

Buffalo Wild Wings plans to build an outdoor patio that overlooks the Little Calumet River. Along with the Hampton Inn, which actually was proposed three years ago but later cooled off. Now, construction is scheduled, the hotel is expected to have 25 employees and will be a great addition to Hammond especially being right off of 80/94.

“After the build-out, Oxbow Landing will have at least one and possibly two parcels left for development. The city has been in talks with interested businesses, “ Tallion stated.