Bye Bye Ramada, Hello Crowne Plaza

Bye Bye Ramada, Hello Crowne Plaza

Early last week the rumours were confirmed, Mayor Reed announced that starting in mid-November the downtown Ramada Hotel will begin a $10 million renovation project. The project, slated to last until May 15, will mean a temporary closing of the structure as it undergoes transformation into a Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The closing of the establishment for six months was deemed necessary for the safety and well-being of both the workers and the guests. The Mayor said that hotel owner IRP/Monarch Hotel Associates pursued every possible option to keep the hotel operating while renovations were underway, but the extensive nature of the project would have seriously impacted its habitability and guest safety while work was being conducted.

Reed said that the transformation of the full-service hotel will be dramatic and comprehensive, with plans including a complete reconstruction and reconfiguration of the hotel’s first floor — highlighted by a grand sweeping stairway and mezzanine floor above. Referred to by the Mayor as "a first-rate quality renovation" the project also means a complete overhaul of the hotel’s exterior and all 261 guest rooms, with the addition of hardwood columns and all new furniture and textiles throughout the facility.

More than a site for upscale lodging, the addition of the Crowne Plaza chain to downtown Harrisburg will also have direct benefits to the local economy, according to Reed. "Hotels create enormous ripple effects — some say tidal wave effects — in the economy," he said, adding that without getting into a car guests can walk from the Crowne Plaza and frequent the variety of restaurants and shops that call the downtown area home. Acknowledging the hotel’s upscale atmosphere and plush amenities, Reed commended the addition of the hotel’s quality to the area, noting that, "quality attracts and sells … if you don’t have quality people won’t come."

Although the temporary closing of the Ramada will mean the furlough of most of the hotel’s 89 employees — all of whom will be offered unemployment compensation, are able to take part in a job fair that the hotel is hosting the first week of November, and who will be assisted by the Ramada in job placement efforts — once the establishment is reopened as the Crowne Plaza, the current employees will be given preferential opportunities to count themselves among the expanded workforce of over 200 employees needed of the new establishment.

The Crowne Plaza is expected to open May 15 of next year.