News Room
Clarion flag will fly over Plaza Hotel
By Lynn Zerschling-Sioux City Journal
May 21, 2005
The unveiling of the Clarion Hotel flag, under which the former Plaza Hotel and Convention Conference Center will operate, marks a new day for downtown Sioux City, officials declared Friday.
"It's been a long time in coming," Lucy Rowley, a housekeeping employee who has worked at the hotel since 1976, said. "It's appreciated."
Paul Curley, the hotel's general manager, unveiled the $2.8 million in renovation plans and predicted the renovation would be completed by October. He made the announcement in the hotel's 12th floor ballroom surrounded by employees, city officials and business people.
"Sioux City's legend Hilton Hotel was a landmark in downtown Sioux City in the 20th Century," Curley declared. "It is once again poised to do something in the 21st Century."
Clarion is the top scale brand of Choice Hotels.
Curley works for GF Management of Moorestown, N.J., which was named by the building's owner, Tower Investments, to manage the day-to-day operations and spearhead a major restoration.
"Tower Investments is committed to reinvesting for the long-term. We will keep jobs here and be creating even more jobs once the renovation is completed," he said. "This hopefully dispels any rumors around town that the owners got it for a steal and will turn it around for sale after just some minor renovations and hightail it out of town."
Acquisition of the hotel marks the first hotel owned by Tower Investments, Steve Rogers said later Friday from his office in Tucson, Ariz. Tower Investments bought the 12-story hotel after making a winning bid of $1.1 million in a nationwide auction that closed in December.
"I don't know where that rumor came from," Rogers said. "We will have a good quality situation in Sioux City."
Tower officials discovered that business had fallen off and the Plaza had fallen on hard times. "We researched with this management firm and wanted to get the best kind of hotel. We want to get the going again and fix the bar."
While purchasing the Plaza marks Tower's first hotel, the investment firm owns a variety of properties from office buildings and condominiums to parking garages.
"We feel with the proper management and some care we can get a positive situation going. We like working with cities ..." said Rogers, an executive with White Eagle National Co., which is affiliated with Tower Investments of Woodland, Calif.
Curley said the restaurant will become an Italian bistro with outdoor seating on the plaza, while Derick's bar will become what he called an "upscale lounge."
The hotel is connected by skywalk to the Sioux City Convention Center. City leaders have said lack of a premier downtown hotel has hurt business at the city-owned facility.
"We have commitments from out-of-town groups based on the word Roger Schultz gave them that this hotel would be renovated," Dennis Gann, executive director of the Convention Center/Auditorium/Tourism Bureau, said. Schultz is the CCAT Bureau's marketing director.
Roger Caudron, executive director of Downtown Partners, added, "Providing top-notch facilities for guests is key to the future of downtown. Adding the new flag and renovating it will give a tremendous boost to downtown Sioux City and key tremendous growth."
Renovations already are under way, with new heating and air conditioning systems installed on the 10th and 11th floors. Installation of a new roof, a key card security system, new front doors and high speed Internet access for guests have been completed. A new fitness center and pool deck have been added. The hotel will remain open during the renovations.
"We felt closing the building down wouldn't be very well received in the community," Curley said.
Noting that the Sioux City Public Museum is considering moving to the former JCPenney's building across Jackson Street, Curley said, "Depending upon what the museum does, we might do a new entrance."
The old furniture and televisions will be donated to Horizon Ministries, which is affiliated with Sunnybrook Community Church. Bruce and Marilyn Kelly said the furnishings will be given to needy families, along with Bibles.
"It's been a long time in coming," Lucy Rowley, a housekeeping employee who has worked at the hotel since 1976, said. "It's appreciated."
Paul Curley, the hotel's general manager, unveiled the $2.8 million in renovation plans and predicted the renovation would be completed by October. He made the announcement in the hotel's 12th floor ballroom surrounded by employees, city officials and business people.
"Sioux City's legend Hilton Hotel was a landmark in downtown Sioux City in the 20th Century," Curley declared. "It is once again poised to do something in the 21st Century."
Clarion is the top scale brand of Choice Hotels.
Curley works for GF Management of Moorestown, N.J., which was named by the building's owner, Tower Investments, to manage the day-to-day operations and spearhead a major restoration.
"Tower Investments is committed to reinvesting for the long-term. We will keep jobs here and be creating even more jobs once the renovation is completed," he said. "This hopefully dispels any rumors around town that the owners got it for a steal and will turn it around for sale after just some minor renovations and hightail it out of town."
Acquisition of the hotel marks the first hotel owned by Tower Investments, Steve Rogers said later Friday from his office in Tucson, Ariz. Tower Investments bought the 12-story hotel after making a winning bid of $1.1 million in a nationwide auction that closed in December.
"I don't know where that rumor came from," Rogers said. "We will have a good quality situation in Sioux City."
Tower officials discovered that business had fallen off and the Plaza had fallen on hard times. "We researched with this management firm and wanted to get the best kind of hotel. We want to get the going again and fix the bar."
While purchasing the Plaza marks Tower's first hotel, the investment firm owns a variety of properties from office buildings and condominiums to parking garages.
"We feel with the proper management and some care we can get a positive situation going. We like working with cities ..." said Rogers, an executive with White Eagle National Co., which is affiliated with Tower Investments of Woodland, Calif.
Curley said the restaurant will become an Italian bistro with outdoor seating on the plaza, while Derick's bar will become what he called an "upscale lounge."
The hotel is connected by skywalk to the Sioux City Convention Center. City leaders have said lack of a premier downtown hotel has hurt business at the city-owned facility.
"We have commitments from out-of-town groups based on the word Roger Schultz gave them that this hotel would be renovated," Dennis Gann, executive director of the Convention Center/Auditorium/Tourism Bureau, said. Schultz is the CCAT Bureau's marketing director.
Roger Caudron, executive director of Downtown Partners, added, "Providing top-notch facilities for guests is key to the future of downtown. Adding the new flag and renovating it will give a tremendous boost to downtown Sioux City and key tremendous growth."
Renovations already are under way, with new heating and air conditioning systems installed on the 10th and 11th floors. Installation of a new roof, a key card security system, new front doors and high speed Internet access for guests have been completed. A new fitness center and pool deck have been added. The hotel will remain open during the renovations.
"We felt closing the building down wouldn't be very well received in the community," Curley said.
Noting that the Sioux City Public Museum is considering moving to the former JCPenney's building across Jackson Street, Curley said, "Depending upon what the museum does, we might do a new entrance."
The old furniture and televisions will be donated to Horizon Ministries, which is affiliated with Sunnybrook Community Church. Bruce and Marilyn Kelly said the furnishings will be given to needy families, along with Bibles.