14 News, The Tri-State's News and Weather Leader-Evansville's Executive Inn closing Monday

Evansville's Executive Inn closing Monday

By Nathan Ryder - bio | email | Twitter
Posted by Rachel Folz - email

EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - It's been known as the Executive Inn since 1967 but come Monday, another one of the Tri-State's old flagship hotels will shut its doors for good.

Hotel management got word Tuesday morning from their corporate office and the news quickly spread to the Rotary Club of Evansville's luncheon.

Managers at the Executive Inn wouldn't do an on-camera interview but confirmed the announcement.

They say the shutdown, scheduled for next Monday, is permanent.

The process is getting underway to transfer ownership from the United Central Bank of Texas to the developer, Browning Investments.

The move will allow Browning to begin demolition on the inn's north tower and completely gut and renovate the tower facing Walnut Street.

Evansville CVB President Marilee Fowler says it was critical for the hotel to remain open so the city could accommodate a girls soccer tournament last week.

The hotel's management says they're already contacting future groups booked into their hotel and are making arrangements to refund deposits. They're also working with the convention and visitor's bureau to find them other rooms.

"We still will have about 3,500 rooms in our community," Fowler said. "So we think we can accommodate a lot of groups."

Managers say Executive Inn staff will be kept on once the last guests walk out the door Monday morning so they can clean the hotel and help prepare for a liquidation sale where everything inside will be sold.

The closure process has been a long time coming with demolition now at least two months behind projected schedules.

The arena is slated to open in 2011.

There's still no word yet on the timeline for demolition of the Evansville Executive Inn.

The city is still working to buy the properties needed along Main Street.

Representatives with Workforce Indiana will visit the hotel on Thursday to help employees plan for their future after they're let go.

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