Crowne Plaza shows bill for $89,000 paid

10/28/2008
BY GARY T. PAKULSKI
BLADE BUSINESS WRITER

With a new management company about to take over at the renovated Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Toledo, the hotel's California owner is optimistic about the property's prospects.

"This is a quality hotel, but there were a few things that were not managed properly," Andy Kim, of Paradise Hospitality Inc., said in a written statement. "We are looking for a fresh start and a collaborative working relationship with our vendors."

Sader Hospitality Worldwide LLC, of Los Angeles, will begin operating the 14-story riverfront hotel on Nov. 14, the owner said. The hotel's 145-person staff, now employed by current manager Lane Hospitality, of Chicago, will transfer to the new firm, he said.

"We are very excited to have Sader come aboard and take the Crowne Plaza in a new direction," Mr. Kim said.

Lane Hospitality notified Ohio officials last week of its planned departure from the hotel.

In the notice, filed under the Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification Act, a Lane executive mentioned disagreements with the owners including the contention that the owners had failed to provide suf-ficient funds to make "timely payments" to vendors.

But Mr. Kim, the owner, said yesterday that the hotel has no unpaid bills.

He said a dispute has been resolved with a Dublin, Ohio, heating and air conditioning contractor who filed a lien and a lawsuit in Lucas County Common Pleas Court over $89,000 allegedly owed by the hotel.

Hotel executives provided a copy of a settlement agreement and bank transfer showing the matter has been resolved.

The new owners, who bought the Summit Street hotel for $7.5 million in early 2007, spent $10 million on renovations.

The hotel joined the Crowne Plaza chain this summer after operating as the Toledo Riverfront Hotel for a year.

Officials said the new management firm will focus on increasing occupancy rates, which have been lower than average.

The property opened in 1985 as the Hotel Sofitel.

Contact Gary Pakulski at:

gpakulski@theblade.com

or 419-724-6082.