Download: Hotel Bentley Press Release
Fun fact #1: I unwittingly authored two sentences in this press release. Verbatim lifts. But I’m okay with it.
Fun fact #2: Under contract doesn’t mean sold.
Fun fact #3: They still plan on nuking City Hall and moving it into the Bentley’s boiler room.
Fun fact #4: I believe the Town Talk’s server is hosting this PDF file. They probably want you to know that.
Wow! This is a fortunate and miraculous developement to coincidentally occur right on the brink of an election wherein Lawson and Silver are likely to get the shit stompted out of them. I applaud their showmanship and their devout adherance to P. T. Barnham’s philosophy.
what a pathetic PR ploy for lying lawson and senile silvers. read the damn press release. it clearly says, uh, yeah, we will buy it, if the state and the city give us enough money. give me 20 mill and i will buy it and throw in the cost of tearing down city hall for free.
the levin at monroe hookers and crack dealers need to form a syndicate and buy the bentley and move to that area of town. that will happen before this deal takes place.
I wonder why they’re claiming 150 jobs will be created when the most the Bentley has ever employed was 125.
Hookers.
I think that #1 is false.
Lamar, are there any concrete plans for the Bentley so far?
Civil,
Actually #1 is true. The content was lifted from a portion of Wikipedia’s entry on Alexandria’s “local attractions” authored by yours truly. This was not attributed to Wikipedia in the press release. See: Wikiality.
I’m not sure what the concrete plans are for the Bentley. When this group purchased the hotel from Dean in Baton Rouge, they reduced the number of rooms by ten and converted some of it into office space. Perhaps they would consider doing the same at the Bentley, particularly on the second level, as it makes the connection to the Riverfront Center.
Earlier this year, my mother showed the Bentley to an interested buyer, and they arrived at a number of conclusions on the feasibility of the hotel’s business that ultimately dissuaded them from making any offer. However, recently, the renewal community incentives were approved, and there may be things out there that allow renovation costs to be partially subsidized.
Anyway, I don’t know what ideas the new group have, but the guy we worked with thought that we needed to:
1. Create a Bentley Club open to local businesses and individuals. Charge a monthly membership for services like limosine pick-up, discounted room rates, discounted meeting rates, and
2. A private bar and lounge on the top floor.
3. Repaint nearly the entire building.
4. Install climate control system.
5. Recenter bricks.
6. Lease the Mirror Room to someone like the BB King Club.
7. Reopen the Bentley Room as a casual lunch place.
8. Reposition the escalator so that guests don’t have to travel through several anterooms before entering the lobby.
Not my ideas. Most of them came from this luxury hotel expert who flew in from Atlanta to inspect the place.
Those are great suggestions and I hope the new owners do something along that line. The Bentley was the only “real” hotel in the area IMHO.
My #1 choice was made with tongue firmly in cheek.
Good suggestions Lamar. I wonder if Mr. Silver’s attempted to package this deal with his building across the street.
Lamar,
Those are very good suggestions. They really need to recenter the bricks- or columns in the conference rooms- I think the configuration of those rooms and blocked vision has been a real problem for holding meetings in the rooms and detering business.
Actually, they would be wise, if it would be feasible, to buy the old Weiss’ and use it for meeting spaces if they can not correct the problems in the Bently meeting rooms. They will probably only make money if they make this a multi-use building.
..and my guess for a false statement is nuking city hall and moving it to the basement!
Sams is the one who plans on nuking city hall and moving it to the Bentley. I guess we will have to see who our new mayor is.
Fuller plans on adding a water slide to the bentley.
“Levin at Monroe” Levin and Monroe do not intersect.
“Levin at Monroe” Levin and Monroe do not intersect.
Considering who’s buying the property, the extra 25 jobs will be needed to make up the difference in non-minority workers.
Have you actually looked up who the members of the various Cyntreniks LLCs are? Try North American Land Co. with the last name Leach listed not only as a member, but in one instance, the manager.
CenLamar 
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