Adam's Mark

The one remaining Adam's Mark Hotel, in Buffalo

Adam's Mark Hotels & Resorts is a former chain of upscale hotels in the United States. The company had its headquarters in the HBE Corporation offices in Creve Coeur, Missouri in Greater St. Louis.^[1][2] The chain was founded in the early 1970s by Fred Kummer and owned by HBE, Corp., which was also founded by Kummer.^[3]

History

The chain suffered greatly from a racial discrimination suit brought against them by the NAACP on December 16 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 had 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 May, 2004, the Houston location, in the Westchase district, was rebranded as a Marriott.

• The Memphis Adam's Mark, originally built in 1975 as the Hyatt Regency Memphis, was sold in 2003, 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.^[4][5]

• The Adam's Mark in Kansas City, Missouri, originally a Sheraton, became a Clarion Hotel in 2004, then was converted to Sheraton in 2007, and again to a Holiday Inn in 2009. The hotel is near the Truman Sports Complex, which houses both the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. **April 2015 update - the Kansas City property has once again returned to being an Adam's Mark Hotel. Adam's Mark Hotel and Coco Key Water Resort**

• In November 2004, the Philadelphia Adam's Mark (originally opened in 1965 as a Holiday Inn) was sold to the Target Corporation, forcing hundreds 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 in Orlando, Florida had an Adam's Mark which has since been rebranded as "The Florida Hotel".

• The Adam's Mark in Dallas was originally built in 1959 as Southland Center, a multi-tower complex including an office building and the Sheraton-Dallas Hotel. The entire complex was converted into one enormous hotel, run by Adam's Mark, in the 1990s. In July 2006 the hotel 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 built as the Sheraton Center in 1973 and became the Adam's Mark in 1984. It was sold to the Chetrit Group in 2005 and reopened as The Blake, a boutique hotel. It was converted into two separate hotels in 2013, each occupying one tower. One tower again became a Sheraton Hotel in August 2013, while the other tower will become a Le Meridien Hotel in January 2014. Over $20 million of renovation is planned between the two towers.

• The Denver property, opened in 1959 as the Denver Hilton and designed by Araldo Cossutta and I.M. Pei, was also a Radisson before joining the chain. In 2008, it 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, New York, originally built as the Buffalo Hilton in 1978. It was sold in February 2009 to Visions Hotels LLC for $7.5 Million. Visions Hotels LLC is based out of Corning, New York, and operates several smaller size hotels in the Upstate New York region. This will be the company's flagship property.

See also

• List of defunct hotel chains

References

External links

• Adam's Mark Hotel Buffalo