Vinoy Park Hotel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Vinoy Park Hotel
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 Location in Florida
Location in the United States
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| Location | St. Petersburg, Florida |
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| Built | 1925 |
| Architect | Henry L. Taylor Renaissance Vinoy Resort & Golf Club is a member of Historic Hotels of America, the official program of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. |
| Architectural style | Mediterranean Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000955 |
| Added to NRHP | September 11, 1978 |
The Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club is a famous old hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida. It opened way back in 1925! The hotel has a special look called Mediterranean Revival style. You can find it right in downtown St. Petersburg, overlooking the beautiful Vinoy Yacht Basin.
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History of the Vinoy Hotel
The Vinoy Park Hotel was built in 1925. A rich oil businessman named Aymer Vinoy Laughner built it. Construction started on February 5 and finished in just 10 months. The hotel had its grand opening on December 31, 1925.
For many years, the Vinoy was a seasonal hotel. It was open from December to March. Back then, a night at the hotel cost $20. This was the highest price in the area! Many famous people stayed there. These included baseball legend Babe Ruth and former U.S. President Herbert Hoover.
The Vinoy During World War II
When World War II started, the hotel closed its doors. This happened on July 3, 1942. The U.S. Army then took over the building. They used it as a training school for soldiers.
The hotel reopened in December 1944. In 1945, it was sold for $700,000. The Vinoy did well for about 20 more years. But by the late 1960s, it started to get old and run down.
In 1974, the Vinoy Park Hotel closed again. Most of its furniture and items were sold. On September 11, 1978, the hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes important historic buildings in the U.S..
Reopening and Modern Era
The hotel stayed empty until 1990. Then, a company called Vinoy Development Corporation bought it. They spent $93 million to make it new again! The hotel reopened in 1992 as the Stouffer Vinoy Resort.
A year later, Renaissance Hotels bought Stouffer Hotels. The hotel's name changed to Renaissance Stouffer Vinoy Resort. In 1996, it became the Renaissance Vinoy Resort.
In 2005, the Vinoy earned a special award. It got the AAA Four-Diamond status. This shows it is a very high-quality hotel. On April 18, 2012, the AIA listed it. They called it one of "Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places."
In August 2018, the hotel was sold again. The new owner is Bryan Glazer. He also owns the Tampa Bay Buccaneers football team. The sale included the hotel, a golf club, and a marina. The total price was $188.5 million.
Ghost Stories at the Vinoy
Over the years, people have reported strange things at the hotel. Some say they have seen ghosts! These stories often come from baseball players. Major league baseball teams sometimes stay at the Vinoy. They are in town to play the Tampa Bay Rays.
One story came from a coach for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He said he saw a see-through man in his room. Others have reported seeing a man in fancy clothes. He walks the halls and then disappears!
See also
In Spanish: Vinoy Park Hotel para niños
