KCRag Forum

It was reported tonight on the NBC News at 10 that Citi-Center Hotel (was a Holiday Inn; don't know if it still is) on Wyandotte (near W. 12th) is closing down for a complete renovation. All the employees have been laid off. It's the skinny hotel building next to the Muehlebach Tower--across from Barney Allis Plaza. I believe the hotel has around 180 rooms.

that place needs help. Hopefully a new flag/franchise will invest some money and make it a quality hotel again.

Closing for renovation? Try closing because they can't get enough guests to stay in the hotel. These people don't have the money to renovate the thing. It will probably re-open as apartments/condos in 2½ years.

Que....those people don't, that's true....hopefully somebody will come in with some renovation money to help make that a solid hotel again....it's a piece of crap now.

Helix did a proposal for renovating the hotel for an investor last year. The plans were very cool. It would have been a very hip boutique hotel, with a great bar and beautifully restored public spaces. The owners did not want to spend anything to make it nice, so the plan never went anywhere. Hopefully, something can be done. The location is great, and the architecture is fabulous.

I like the decorative sheep heads (rams) on the front on the building near the top. If memory serves me, it was called the Aladdin Hotel at some point.

yep, and that was the theme that Helix was going with. Lots of stained glass, fabrics, middle eastern architecture and colors. It was amazing.

Channel 9 reported on the 6 pm broadcast that the current owners of Citi-Center Hotel are looking for a buyer. This conflicts with what Channel 41 said last night about a renovation. Channel 9 also said that there were only 10 employees left working at the hotel.

Maybe the current owners have interest from buyers that want to renovate the building for use as a hotel or residential. I guess we'll have to wait to find out.

At least it won't suffer the same fate as the building that used to flank it...

A developer from memphis is looking to reopen this as a Holiday Inn or another brand in that chain....2007 is the anticipated reopening.

hope they are planning a massive renovation. last time i went there, we were to have dinner at ashley's, the hotels restaurant, and it was closed, and our room had a ceiling leak, BAD, so we were moved up 3 floors, to a room that had a mildew prob in the bathroom something fierce. we ended up speaking to the hotel manager on duty, who gladly released us from any financial obligation, and we went and stayed at the phillips.

I think that the CitiCenter Hotel is very nice looking (has many nice architectual features on the front of the building). It has a lot of potential!

oh no doubt, i am all about saving that one. it is very unique.

Can anyone provide a photo? I'm having a hard time visualizing where this place is.

east side of Barney Allis.

I'd rather see them go boutique hotel than with another Holiday Inn. Doesn't have to be anything too upscale, but something that offers more unique lodging downtown. Although, it is important to keep a diverse amount of price ranges for rooms.

My hope is that we tear it down.  We need more parking downtown anyway.

it is a nice building. i would also like to see botique, i think that would make 3 in one area, prez, phillips, and this, and be the perfect amount for the city.

Why not go residential with this one?

Marreekarr wrote: Why not go residential with this one?

Because Downtown needs more hotel rooms in the loop, especially right on Barney Allis Plaza.