It looks like Sheldon finally has some info on the auction. You can go to this page, which is just an auction index. The goods on the actual auction are found on this out of wack page.

Suggested Opening Bid:
$1,000,00 or $6,400 per room

Now I’m assuming that $1,000,00 is 1,000,000. I’m a little bummed by our sell price. Do you think the bank thought of this amount and said it like Dr. Evil with a pinky to their bottom lip? And for that matter can me and my friends throw in six or seven grand and buy a room?

I’m telling you we are going to get bought up by some cheap mother-fuckers. I just shudder to think what kind of beast will come in when this is over.

“Ramada will be sold at auction” is an item from the Beloit Daily News that I found interesting. The new GM even got some press:

Reaz Chowdhury, general manager of the Ramada Inn of Greater Beloit, said rumors the hotel is closing because of the auction are not true.

“I want to stress the fact the hotel is not closing,” Chowdhury said. “That’s what people are saying. I think they misunderstand the word auction. Someone buys it and will keep it open.”

“Business is improving,” Chowdhury said. “The books are looking better. We’re just getting out of the winter, but we’re heading for the summer, which will be better for us.”

The statement “the hotel was being sold as a whole, not as a property to be redeveloped” has me baffled though. Here’s the Auction Page again. I guess I find out on or after April 30th what’s going on.

“S. Beloit Ramada heads to auction” is a news article from the Rockford Register Star that make mention of the poor hotel I work at.

Well those crafty goons at Sheldon’s have a new page up that has info on the auction of the hotel. Now I don’t want to call anyone a liar but this statement from the Beloit Daily News article “Ramada will be sold at auction” makes me want to:

“I want to stress the fact the hotel is not closing,” Chowdhury said. “That’s what people are saying. I think they misunderstand the word auction. Someone buys it and will keep it open.”

Well yes it does appear that people misunderstand the word auction. Here is a blurb found on the auction page:

ATTENTION BUYERS! This property is also an excellent alternative use candidate that could offer untold upside potential. The hotel could easily be converted to a senior or assisted living facility, or utilized as low income housing. Please check the local zoning ordinance to determine which alternative uses conform to the current zoning.

Plus the fact that a header right after the date says “An Outstanding Hotel/Alternative Use property!” The exclamation point is theirs folks. This makes me think that the bank doesn’t give a shit who buys us for what.

So maybe Hotelblues.com will one day close up. No hotel no website. My muse is the hotel. I realized that a long time ago. Well if it does close I say a party is in order.

Here is a Beloit Daily News item I missed all day today because I’ve been wanting to get my hands on Morrowind. The Daily News served up another one of it’s trademark articles. An article with the five dollar handle “Ramada sold at auction to unnamed buyer!” Per the usual with these items it’s been reported without the guy who wrote it getting an inside source.

Here is the snip from this informative gem:

“The purchaser has requested anonymity and Amcore intends to honor that request,” said Amcore Bank Vice President of Special Assets Ron Carlson. “I thought this was … very good for the community. I also thought it was great for the purchaser.”

Carlson said the buyer was from the Stateline Area, and indicated he would continue operating a hotel on the property. The new owner would take over the property within 30 to 45 days, Carlson said.

So this Mr. Anonymous spent less than 2.3 million to get the hotel. A local guy who can throw that kind of money around. The article also states how First Rockford Group looked into picking up our hotel, but didn’t even enter a bid because of the HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) issues we have.

In the coming 30 to 45 days it will be fun to see just how much of this press release will turn out to be in fact absolute bullshit. Not that I think the Daily News would kiss ass with some high rollers, no they are reporters. I would be willing that Mr. Anonymous isn’t local. And maybe Mr. Anonymous has a reason he doesn’t want his name released. But then what do I know?

Here an interesting article from yesterdays Beloit Daily News called “Ramada owners identified“:

Two Chicago area people have been identified as the new owners of the Ramada Inn of Greater Beloit. Noor and Farida Sadruddin of Bloomingdale, Ill., have registered through the Illinois Secretary of State’s office to create a limited liability company to run the hotel at 200 Dearborn Ave., South Beloit.

It appears they started a company just to run the hotel:

According to information provided from the Secretary of State’s office, the company will be known as Serena Hospitality LLC. The papers were filed May 9. While an Internet search indicated Noor and Farida Sadruddin living in Bloomingdale, Serena Hospitality LLC has a business address listed at 200 Dearborn Ave. _ the same address as the Ramada Inn of Greater Beloit.

The new GM even got in the paper again:

Noor Sadruddin was the highest bidder when the hotel was auctioned April 30 in Chicago, according to current Ramada Inn of Greater Beloit manager Reaz Chowdhury. “He’s going through due diligence right now,” Chowdhury said. “He was the highest bidder and needs to make sure of everything.”

The auction guy brought up again the notion that these people are supposedly from the stateline area:

…the auctioneer of the hotel, would not confirm Sadruddin was the buyer, but did say the person who bought the hotel has a local connection in the Stateline Area. “There’s a local connection there, and it’s going to be great for the community and it’s going to work out well,” Kravets said.

Sadruddin sure doesn’t sound like a stateline area name to me. I can see why these people didn’t want to give out their name.

I’m going to end with soothing words of wisdom from the Dude:

“I think they’re going to put a lot of money into the hotel. We think the buyers got a great deal.” Chowdhury said Serena Hospitality plans to continue operating the property as a hotel and at the least a Ramada Inn. “At the minimum, it will stay a Ramada, but they are looking at flying other flags,” Chowdhury said. “They are very excited and looking forward to working with the community here.”

So I’m smoking again. I have been for a few weeks. Most (or all) of my friends know. “The Dude” as he is referred to here, also knows. The Dude caught me last week smoking behind the front desk.

Now to me this is saying it’s ok to smoke. It’s just as good as if The Dude himself said “smoke em, if you got em.” Because I don’t want to imply that the hotel’s management are idiots. So instead I give them the benefit of the doubt that they knew any how.

Nothing was said to me along the lines of “hey no smoking back there.” Not that I would stop. I have the image that I do what I want anyway, so why quit?