By JAN GRIFFEY via Natchez Democrat
NATCHEZ — The historic Eola Hotel, when it opens 2027, will be under the Marriott hotel brand. Eola Holdings III Manager Hayes Dent released information late Wednesday that said the company has a signed agreement with Marriott International to convert the Eola Hotel into a Tribute Portfolio brand. This affiliation marks a major step in the revitalization of downtown Natchez and the continued progress of the city’s growing hospitality sector, Dent said.
The reimagined Eola Hotel will feature 98 guest rooms and is expected to undergo a 14-month construction phase with its grand opening planned for 2027. “To say we’re excited about affiliating with the world’s best hotel company is an understatement,” Dent said. “Truthfully, it’s what a property like the Eola deserves.” Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson said, “The Eola has long been the anchor of historic downtown Natchez. Its redevelopment is a vital piece of our Natchez Renewal, and we are excited to have a company like Marriott, known worldwide for its excellent brands, staking claim to this vital property. This historic announcement speaks to the progress happening in our great city.”
Following its conversion, the property will join the Tribute Portfolio brand, a growing global family of characterful, independent hotels drawn together by their passion for captivating design and vibrant social scenes, offering travelers a unique and authentic experience, Eola owners said. With Marriott’s global reach and Eola’s historic charm, the property is expected to bring new energy, visitors, and economic opportunity to Natchez while preserving the hotel’s legacy as a cornerstone of the community, according to the Eola’s owners. “I want to thank Robert Lubin, the owner of the Eola. He has made much of this pre-development process. It has not been an inexpensive endeavor,” Gibson said.
He also thanked Nashville designer Marjorie Feltus Hawkins, a Natchez native and owner of Linden. “We are grateful to Marjorie Feltus Hawkins, who has provided great help to make sure that the Natchez stamp is on this important property,” Gibson said. The anticipation of the need of contractors for a staging area is why the city has been working so hard to begin the process of demolition of the Fry Building, he said. “We will now begin working with consultants and attorneys on other details needed to make a project like this work, much like we are working with the developers of Tracetown now,” Gibson said. Eola Holdings representatives and Marriott officials actually inked their deal months ago, Gibson said. “The process began months ago using their contractors, designers, architects and engineers…they’ve even had people here inspecting the elevators,” he said. “We have been waiting with bated breath for when we could make this announcement about the Marriott partnership.”
The Eola Hotel was built in 1927 and operated for two years until the stock market crash in 1929 when its owners were forced to sell it. Natchez businessmen formed a corporation and purchased it. That corporation’s president, Clarence Eyrich Sr. and his family operated the hotel and eventually owned it. The hotel closed in 1974, but was reopened in 1982. The Eola closed again in 2014 and has been closed since that time. A group of businessmen, including hotel owner Robert Lubin and developer Hayes Dent have been working to reopen the hotel since August 2021. The project has been plagued by the post-COVID inflation in construction costs, which have delayed its development.
Find the original article on the Natchez Democrat.