Grove Park Inn exec: Yes, times are tough, but we’re doing fine

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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I had a good conversation today with the Grove Park Inn’s executive director of operations, Ron Morin. Morin called in response to an earlier Ashvegas post, in which a reader wrote me to complain about recent lay-offs and about corporate bean counters tightening down the resort’s bottom line.

Morin’s message was clear: “We’re not doing as well as we’d like to. I’d be lying if I said otherwise. But I still see that we’re doing better than the majority of our industry.”

Morin says the out of a core of about 900 staff positions, 24 filled positions have been eliminated over the last 18 months. There’s been no targeting of long-time employees, and no refilling those jobs with new, lesser-paid staff, according to Morin.

I pressed Morin about the impact of the death of Elaine Sammons. As most folks know, Charles and Elaine Sammons bought the Grove Park Inn back in 1955, when Asheville was still a sleepy little mountain town. Charles Sammons passed away, and Elaine Sammons remained the head of Sammons Enterprises, the multi-billion-dollar corporation that continues to own the resort.

It was no secret that Elaine Sammons loved the Grove Park Inn, and loved Asheville. Every summer, she came and lived at the GPI for months. It was her vision to add the wings and expand the original structure. And it was her vision to build the $45 million spa, which has taken the resort to new tourism industry heights.

Lots of folks around town saw the passing of Mrs. Sammons as a passage that could signal a sale of the property. Morin, who says he speaks only for the Grove Park Inn, says he has no indication whatsoever that that is the intention of the corporate parent.

Morin asks why a company on firm financial footing would sell a property like the Grove Park Inn in one of the worst real estate markets ever. Morin also notes that communications from corporate indicate that the Grove Park Inn is to be the cornerstone of of its hospitality and real estate ventures.

The Grove Park Inn is building new condos next to the hotel, and it still has plans to build The Ellington, a new signature hotel approved last year for downtown Asheville. While The Ellington project is still “full steam ahead,” there’s likely not going to be much movement until the national real estate market improves, Morin says. A few year’s ago, the Grove Park Inn proposed a hotel and a mixed-use building downtown, but those projects didn’t materialize.

Meantime, the Grove Park Inn continues to pump millions into the property. Morin, a close reader of this blog and all GPI mentions online, countered my reference to the resort as “dowdy” a couple of months ago with the fact that the company just finished spending $2 million to renovate all guest rooms in the Sammons wing. 

Morin adds that the Grove Park Inn, looking ahead to an improved economy a year or two from now, decided to move forward with another major construction project. The background: several years ago, the Grove Park Inn had its signature roof tiles replaced, but the contractor who did the work botched the job and the case went to court. It was finally settled, in favor of the Grove Park Inn, and work has just begun a $4 million project to replace tiles on all curved surfaces of the roof, Morin says. 

In related news, there will be a July Fourth fireworks show this year at the Grove Park Inn. Everyone in Asheville knew that Elaine Sammons loved her fireworks, and the inn each year would put on a big show in July in honor of her birthday.

Morin wouldn’t confirm this for me, but sources tell Ashvegas that the Grove Park Inn has secured permits for the same large fireworks display toward the end of this month.