THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 

              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.



DATE: Sunday, June 2, 1996                  TAG: 9605310168

SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS     PAGE: 06   EDITION: FINAL 

TYPE: Editorial 

                                            LENGTH:   31 lines

VISION 2005 AS CATALYST LOAN HELP WAS WISE

The owners of the Holiday Inn on Portsmouth's waterfront had a choice: Refurbish the building and improve the image or lose the Holiday Inn franchise. Fortunately, the city has agreed to help them borrow federal money to improve the hotel on an important piece of land on Portsmouth's Downtown waterfront.

Actually, the company could have dropped the flag, hooked up with a budget hotel chain and probably have made money. That would have left Portsmouth without a so-called full-service hotel.

Although the company has periodically updated and expanded the hotel, it never has been enough to fill the needs of the city. Furthermore, as management admits, the hotel has had its ups and downs and sometimes has been less than we could hope for in Portsmouth's only waterfront hotel.

The refurbished version will have a new look ``more compatible with Olde Towne.'' It will have more suites, which also can be used as meeting rooms during conferences the hotel will be aiming to attract.

In addition, there'll be a new look on the waterfront with a more attractive entrance off the Seawall. And the plan calls for more trees and landscaping on all sides.

The changes work with the Vision 2005 plan, which may have been the catalyst for upgrading rather than going budget. The city did the right thing to support the loan. by CNB