Adam's Mark
Adam's Mark is a former chain of upscale hotels in the United States. The company was based in St. Louis, Missouri. The chain was founded in the early 1970s by Fred Kummer and owned by HBE, Corp., which was also founded by Kummer.[1]
History
The chain suffered greatly from a racial discrimination suit brought against them by the NAACP in 1999. The NAACP filed the suit on behalf of guests who attended the Black College Reunion in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1999. It alleged that Adam's Mark required guests to wear identification wristbands and were required to pay in advance. The suit, and subsequent 17-month boycott of the chain called by the NAACP, was settled out of court for $2 million (US). The company's relationship with African-American organizations has since improved, and in 2006, Adam's Mark had the top score of any hotel company on the NAACP's annual report card.
Hotels
While once numbering more than 20 large hotels, because of financial difficulties and changing corporate strategies, the chain sold off all of its properties during the 2000s.
- In 2003, the Memphis Adam's Mark was sold to a joint venture of Dallas-based Crow Holdings, manager of the real estate holdings of the Trammell Crow family, and Wilton D. 'Chick' Hill, the president of Memphis-based Davidson Hotel Co. The hotel underwent a US $12 million renovation and reopened as the Hilton Memphis Hotel in 2005.[2][3]
- In November 2004, the Philadelphia Adam's Mark (originally opened in 1965 as a Holiday Inn) was sold to the Target Corporation, forcing dozens out of work and closing the 23-story building down for good to make way for a new Target store building. On July 11, 2006, an unexpected collapse on the north side of the main tower trapped a construction worker helping to tear the building down. The new Target opened on the site in late 2007.
- In 2005, the 966 room Adam's Mark in Jacksonville, Florida was bought by Chartres Hospitality, who converted the hotel to the Hyatt Regency Jacksonville Riverfront after a multi-million dollar renovation.
- The Florida Mall had an Adam's Mark which has since rebranded as "The Florida Hotel".
- In July 2006, the Adam's Mark in Dallas completed a $30 million renovation and opened the "Tower Royale by Adam's Mark", a luxury 500 room hotel within a hotel. The hotel was home to many conventions such as Project A-Kon. In 2007 it was sold and reflagged as the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.
- The Adam's Mark in Charlotte was sold to the Chetrit Group and reopened as The Blake, a boutique hotel.
- The Denver property was reflagged as a Sheraton Hotel.
- The St. Louis hotel become a Hyatt Regency, with Chartres Lodging group spending at least $63m in renovations at the property.
- In late August 2009, the Adam's Mark Indianapolis was re-flagged as the Wyndham Indianapolis West Hotel.
- By 2010 the chain had dwindled to just one property, in Buffalo, NY. It was sold in February 2009 to Visions Hotels LLC for $7.5 Million. Visions Hotels LLC is based out of Corning, N.Y., and operates several smaller size hotels in the Upstate New York region. This will be the company's flagship property. The Adam's Mark Buffalo will eventually become a Crowne Plaza after a multi- million dollar renovation.
References
External links