Fairmont Olympic Hotel facts for kids
| Fairmont Olympic Hotel | |
Quick facts for kids  Fairmont Olympic Hotel Seattle |
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| Hotel facts and statistics | |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 47°36′29″N 122°20′04″W / 47.608011°N 122.334548°W |
| Address | |
| Opening date | December 6, 1924 |
| Architect | George B. Post & Son |
| Management | Accor Hotels |
| Owner | Legacy Hotels Real Estate Investment Trust |
| No. of restaurants | 3 |
| No. of rooms | 450 |
| No. of floors | 14 |
The Fairmont Olympic Hotel is a famous and historic hotel in downtown Seattle, Washington. It was first called The Olympic Hotel. This grand building stands where the University of Washington's first campus used to be. The hotel opened its doors in 1924. Later, in 1979, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a very important historical site.
Contents
History of the Olympic Hotel
Planning a Grand Hotel
After World War I, people in Seattle wanted a world-class hotel. The city's Chamber of Commerce (a group of business leaders) formed a committee. Their goal was to bring a fancy new hotel to Seattle.
They found the perfect spot for it. This area was called the Metropolitan Tract. It was a large, undeveloped part of downtown Seattle. This land was also known as Denny's Knoll. It was named after Arthur A. Denny, one of Seattle's founders. He had given the land for the first university in the area.
University Land and Naming the Hotel
The university, which later became the University of Washington, moved to a new campus in 1895. But they still owned the downtown land. In 1904, the university's leaders leased the land to a company. The agreement was that the land would be developed for the university's benefit for 50 years.
The Seattle Times newspaper held a contest to name the new hotel. Many people sent in ideas. From 3,906 entries, the committee chose the name The Olympic.
Designing and Building the Hotel
In 1922, the Community Hotel Corporation chose an architect from New York. His name was George B. Post & Son. They were hired to design the hotel. A local firm, Bebb and Gould, helped supervise the building work.
Post designed the hotel in the Italian Renaissance style. This style was very popular at the time. It is still one of the building's most special features today.
Construction started on April 1, 1923. The steel frame for the building began in January 1924. By November of that year, the entire building was finished. The hotel cost $5.5 million to build. About $800,000 of that money was just for the furniture.
Grand Opening and Early Years
The Olympic Hotel officially opened on December 6, 1924. It had a grand dinner and dance. More than 2,000 people from Seattle and their guests attended. Hundreds more stood outside just to see the new hotel.
A businessman named Frank A. Dudley and the United Hotels Company managed the hotel when it first opened.
Changes Over Time
In 1953, the University of Washington's leaders extended the hotel's land lease. They also decided to tear down the Metropolitan Theatre. This theater had been a Seattle landmark since 1911. The Olympic Hotel had been built around it.
The theater's last show was on December 4, 1954. After that, it was torn down. A new entrance for the hotel was built in its place.
On August 1, 1955, a company called Western Hotels took over managing The Olympic Hotel. Western later changed its name to Westin. They managed the hotel until September 1, 1980.
Then, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts took over. They spent $60 million to make the hotel new again. The hotel reopened in 1981. In the mid-1990s, the University of Washington sold part of its ownership in the hotel.
In 2003, the hotel was sold to Legacy Hotels. They then gave the management to Fairmont Hotels & Resorts. At this time, the hotel was renamed the Fairmont Olympic Hotel.
Images for kids
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The Olympic Hotel, around 1925
See also
In Spanish: Fairmont Olympic Hotel para niños
