Even as they face bankruptcy reorganization, the owners of the Lawrence Holidome say they are committed to giving the city's biggest hotel a facelift.
But they concede that even a decision to make cosmetic changes by replacing such items as draperies, bedspreads and cabinets remains under review.
Plans to upgrade the Lawrence Holidome are being reviewed as its owner seeks bankruptcy reorganization.
"There will be moneys available for capital improvements," said Michael Amaral, senior vice president for Lodgian Inc., the Holidome's Atlanta-based parent company. "We're in the process of reviewing those projects.
"It's not a huge project to complete it's not a gut-and-redo but there definitely are things that need to be redone."
Lodgian's moves are being watched closely by the lodging and business communities in Lawrence, where the Holidome's 192 rooms account for nearly 20 percent of available space in town. The hotel's conference center also is the city's largest.
Competition from new properties in town namely SpringHill Suites by Marriott and Holiday Inn Express pushed the Holidome to cut its rates last year, Amaral said. The Holidome is one of 107 hotels owned by Lodgian in the United States and Canada.
In Lawrence, the company is transferring Tom Rost a former Holidome manager who currently oversees a similar property in Manhattan back to Lawrence, where sales efforts will be expanded, Amaral said.
"There's more competition in the market," said Amaral, whose company asked for bankruptcy protection last month as it faces debts of nearly $1 billion. "The pie is smaller. We have to work a little bit harder."
In Lawrence, competitors are making plans to eat up even more of the customer base.
SpringHill Suites, which opened in July at the Lawrence Riverfront Plaza at Sixth and New Hampshire streets, is looking into the possibility of expanding its conference center to accommodate its growing event business.
Manager Stephanie Bowler said that the hotel already had landed a number of bookings that previously went to the Holidome, including several events associated with Kansas University's Division of Continuing Education and next year's holiday party for the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
SpringHill Suites doesn't intend to open a catering kitchen, she said, but adding some smaller "breakout" rooms to help accommodate conventions and other large groups could pay off later this year.
"We are looking at the possibility of adding more banquet space, just because of the need in town," said Bowler, who previously worked at the Holidome. "It's a big market, and we're looking at expanding to fill that need."
Bill Sepic, president of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, is hoping that Lodgian's Chapter 11 filing won't hamper plans for an update at the Holidome, which opened in 1981.
"I think that improvements to the facility will translate into some increased business and a positive image," Sepic said. "There's a fair level of interest within our membership of having those improvements made."
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