Oakland's Waterfront Hotel closing Friday after 35 years in Jack London Square
Oakland's Waterfront Hotel closing after 35 years in Jack London Square
The Waterfront Hotel opened in 1990 as part of the Port of Oakland’s $100 million development plan to revitalize Jack London Square.
OAKLAND, Calif. - The Waterfront Hotel at Oakland's Jack London Square is closing Friday at midnight after a 35-year run.
Melissa Quinn of Butte County had no idea when she checked in that the iconic hotel was closing Friday at midnight, possibly for good. That means after 35 years in business, no more bookings and no more conferences.
"It’s [going to] be sad. Some people like everything new, but things that have been here for years, they mean something, and when they disappear, you’ll never get them back," she said.
The 145-room hotel, known for its canoe wallpaper and boat-shaped lamps, sits on the edge of the Oakland Estuary.
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The Waterfront Hotel opened in 1990 as part of the Port of Oakland’s $100 million development plan to revitalize Jack London Square.
In a Jan. 17 letter to staff that was shared with KTVU, Waterfront Hotel General Manager James Dinnall wrote that Hyatt made the decision due to "financial issues with the current owner."
Dinnall's letter also said that it is not currently known whether the current owner of the Waterfront Hotel will decide to work with a new company to manage the property.
"It is possible that the hotel will cease operations completely," Dinnall said.
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Visit Oakland, the city's tourist information center, sits right outside the hotel.
In a statement, Peter Gamez, president and CEO of Visit Oakland said, in part, "We feel confident that the closure will be temporary. Visit Oakland looks forward to supporting the Waterfront Hotel and the future management company."
Former city council member Loren Taylor, a candidate for mayor, says Dave and Buster's, the arcade chain, is likely coming to Jack London Square.
"We in Oakland, we have to do better at retaining our existing businesses, reaching out to them, being proactive, making sure they do maintain a footprint here," Taylor said.
One Oakland nonprofit claims the hotel, managed by Hyatt, owes them over $40,000 for a canceled 10th anniversary event scheduled for September.
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The Love Not Blood campaign held a news conference Thursday to demand they get paid back. The group is led by Beatrice X Johnson, the aunt of the late Oscar Grant and services families impacted by violence.
"This has been very detrimental to us as an organization, it has been detrimental to us as impacted families," Johnson said.
After the news conference, Johnson said her group would receive their down payment back.
The hotel's closure is the latest blow to Jack London Square, where restaurants like Forge, Chop Bar and Buck Wild Brewery, have all closed.
"I'm just sad for the community and just worried about all the community workers here and the livelihood of Oakland," said hotel guest Rosy Weir.