Concord Resort Hotel facts for kids
The Concord Resort Hotel was a huge vacation spot in the Catskill Mountains of New York. It was famous for being one of the biggest resorts in the area, especially in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Located in Kiamesha Lake, New York, the Concord had over 1,500 guest rooms and a dining room that could seat 3,000 people! It covered about 2,000 acres (about 8 square kilometers). The resort was a kosher place, mainly for Jewish families from New York City. It was known for being very fancy and having lots of fun activities.
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History and Design of the Concord
The Concord Resort Hotel started from a smaller place called the Ideal House in the 1920s. In 1937, a man named Arthur Winarick bought it and rebuilt it as the Concord Plaza. It had 500 beds. After World War II, the hotel, now called the New Concord Hotel, grew very quickly. It added things like a ski slope and a golf course to keep up with another big resort nearby, Grossinger's.
Modern Look and Fun Spaces
In 1951, the Concord opened its amazing Tropical Indoor Pool. This made other resorts want to build cool pools too! In the 1950s, a famous architect named Morris Lapidus was hired. He designed new, modern-style guest buildings. Lapidus also worked on the inside of the hotel, creating beautiful lobbies, dining areas, and nightclubs.
The hotel added a large rotunda (a round hall) and a promenade (a long walkway). It also built huge entertainment rooms like the Cordillion Room, the Night Owl Lounge, and the even bigger Imperial Room. Lapidus designed a special "floating stair" in the rotunda. This allowed guests to make a grand entrance, like they were floating down the stairs!
Entertainment at the Concord
The Concord was famous for its awesome entertainment areas. The first Cordillion Room opened in the 1950s and could seat 1,500 people. There was also the Constellation Room, which had a cool wavy bar. But Arthur Winarick wanted something even bigger.
So, Lapidus designed the Imperial Room, which could hold 3,000 people in a nearly circular space. It was probably the largest entertainment venue in the Catskills! Many famous entertainers performed there.
Famous Guests and Performers
The Concord attracted huge stars who could fill the Imperial Room. Some of the frequent performers included Buddy Hackett, Tony Bennett, Milton Berle, and Tony Martin. Even Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland performed at the Concord. In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. received an award at the hotel. After Arthur Winarick passed away in 1964, his son-in-law, Ray Parker, took over running the resort.
Later Years and Changes
Over the years, the Concord Hotel changed. The old hotel buildings were eventually torn down.
The Monster Golf Course
Today, part of the Concord property is home to the "Monster" Golf Course. This golf course is very famous and has been called one of America's 100 Greatest Golf Courses by Golf Digest. It has a pro shop, a driving range, and places to stay overnight. It also offers golf lessons with professional instructors.
The old hotel part was demolished in 2008, and that area is currently empty. The Concord was also used many times for the annual convention of the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs.
Future Plans for the Site
In 2010, there were some disagreements among the owners about the land. Eventually, the property was split between different groups. One company, Entertainment Properties Trust, gained control of about 1,500 acres. Another developer, Louis R. Cappelli, kept about 116 acres.
The owners of Monticello Raceway then announced plans to build a new resort with a "racino" (a place with horse racing and casino games) on the property. In 2011, the owners of the Mohegan Sun casino also joined with Cappelli Enterprises Inc. They planned to build a $600 million resort. This new resort would have a 258-room hotel, a casino with 2,100 video lottery machines, five restaurants, a harness racing track, and a place for betting on races.
In May 2017, it was announced that the new casino-resort would be called "Resorts World Catskills". It was planned to open in 2018.
Concord Timeline
- 1935 – Arthur Winarick, an immigrant from Russia, took over The Ideal Plaza in Kiamesha Lake. This was the start of what became the Concord Resort Hotel.
- 1950s – The hotel became one of the best vacation spots in the Northeast. It was known for its delicious kosher food and top entertainment. Winarick's daughter, Clara, and her husband, Raymond Parker, started running the hotel. Later, it was passed on to Raymond's sons.
- 1960s – The popularity of Catskills resorts began to decline. City dwellers moved to homes in the suburbs with air conditioning. Also, affordable air travel made it easier for people to go on vacations to more distant places. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 also meant that Jewish guests could now choose other resorts that were previously only for certain groups.
- 1981 – Professional boxing events were held at the hotel. On May 16, two future boxing hall-of-famers, Hector Camacho, Sr. and Ray Mancini, had fights there.
- 1985 – Grossinger's, another famous resort, was sold because of growing debt. Attempts to reopen it failed.
- January 1997 – Lawmakers in Albany said no to a casino plan. The Concord owners were really hoping for this plan to help the hotel.
- February 1997 – The Concord filed for bankruptcy protection. This meant it needed legal help because it couldn't pay its debts. Sullivan County was owed more than $8 million in taxes.
- January 1999 – The hotel was sold at an auction for $10.25 million. It was bought by a group led by Joseph Murphy, with developer Louis R. Cappelli as a partner. Cappelli later bought out Murphy.
- March 2000 – Cappelli and his partners announced a plan to rebuild the Concord as a world-class resort.
- October 10, 2000 – Cappelli and his partners started work and began tearing down parts of the old hotel.
- December 2004 – The Concord was sold to Empire Resorts. This company also owned Monticello Raceway. Empire Resorts hoped to build a casino at the Concord site.
- January 2008 – Except for the golf course, the resort remained an abandoned ruin.
- April 2008 – Demolition began for the new Concord hotel/Racino project. This big project was expected to cost $750 million and take five years to finish.
- May 2011 – The owner partnered with the Mohegan Sun casino to develop a new $600 million Concord resort.
- December 2014 – The Gaming Facility Location Board of New York State chose The Montreign Resort Casino to be built in the Catskills town of Thompson. This new $630 million project would include an 18-story hotel, meeting spaces, and an indoor waterpark.
