The Club was ready to open in the fall of 1892 when a fire destroyed most of the interiors and severely damaged the limestone façade, delaying the opening to July 4, 1893.
The Tank
Where five-time Olympic gold medalist Johnny Weissmuller once plied the swimming lanes, the Chicago Athletic Association’s pool area—originally called “The Tank” by club members—has been transformed into a one-of-a-kind venue ideal for public exhibits, performances, installations and creative private events.
Your guests will have no need for a lifeguard, though, as the original pool basin has been covered with a tongue-in-cheek mosaic tile floor, complete with swimming lanes and markers for “Shallow” and “Deep” to do with as you will.
Located just off the hotel’s grand staircase, the room also features a Carrara marble balcony, where spectating is all a part of the game, even if the swim meets are an echo of the past.
