The reopening of the historic Eldridge Hotel marks the return of a downtown Lawrence gem.

The investment made by the new Eldridge owners to restore the hotel is a great gift to Lawrence. But, although the Eldridge will fill a wonderful niche as a “boutique” hotel, it won’t meet the city’s ongoing need for a high quality convention/hotel facility.

The Eldridge is bound to be a popular spot for Kansas University friends and alumni as well as other visitors who come to Lawrence to enjoy the unique downtown atmosphere. The hotel/restaurant/bar is a winning combination of history, a downtown location and an attractive new decor.

But, with just 48 hotel suites and limited meeting space, the Eldridge will be unable to host large, statewide or national meetings — or even some of the largest local events. The only local hotel space currently available for large events is the Lawrence Holidome, but, hampered by debt and other problems, that hotel may soon lose its affiliation with the Holiday Inn chain. If that happens, it will be unlikely that the facility will be able to spring back to provide the kind of reliable services and accommodations that most convention planners want.

Even though Lawrence is at the eastern edge of the state, it still is an attractive destination for many statewide groups. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult, however, for local planners to guarantee the lodging and services that will bring large meetings to the city. The inability to host such groups translates into lost dollars and lost prestige for Lawrence.

With the bleak outlook for the Lawrence Holidome, city and chamber of commerce officials should be thinking about how Lawrence can fill its need for convention space. Working with a private developer would be preferable, but officials also should keep the need for convention space in mind when they are formulating their visions for major public projects.

Congratulations to all those who did such a wonderful job of bringing the historic Eldridge Hotel back to prominence. Perhaps someone will be able to do the same for the Lawrence Holidome, but if not, local leaders must take a serious look at how we can attract a facility that will serve the city’s convention demands.