It’s been a winter of anticipation, expectations, and rumors. But all that ends this weekend. It’s time to play ball.

The Lineup:  The James Hotel opening Sunday, and David Burke’s Primehouse opening next Wednesday.

The Scouting Report: The James Hotel brings heavyweights (NYC restaurateur Stephen Hanson, Equinox Fitness guru Danny Errico, and W Hotels’s Brad Wilson); streamlined design (all steel, wood, and glass); and guest rooms with standout touches like platform beds, 42-inch plasma TVs, iPod/mp3 player docking stations, and minibars stocked with not-so-mini bottles. Look for commissioned artwork including Lars Arrhenius’s video installation spanning the height of the interior courtyard.

Make it a double play and head next door to David Burke’s Primehouse for signature dishes like three-minute filet mignon and his take on surf and turf: grilled Maine lobster and Shanghai beef tips. The room’s been styled for heavy hitters with ingrained wood floors, mother-of-pearl walls, and private dining booths.

Batting Cleanup: J Bar, a new nightspot, opens in April, and the James Club, a modern city club (a la NYC’s Soho House), comes later this year.

You know how it goes. No rest for true players.

The James Chicago, 55 East Ontario Street, at Rush Street (312-337-1000 or jameshotels.com). David Burke’s Primehouse, 616 North Rush Street, between Ontario and Ohio Streets (312-660-6000).