Hilton Hotel Effects, One Year Later
07.03.2007, 11:13
Struggling downtown business owners crossed their fingers they'd get a boose in sales after a big name hotel opened up in Yakima a year ago.
Hotels in Tallinn
It was the talk of the town -- many believed when Hilton Garden Inn opened its doors more businesses would come.
Keith Nelson's a survivor -- a business owner survivor."All my neighbors left me," said Nelson.
His deli stayed open when others failed. He's seen downtown at its best and lived through its worst.
"It was very different we had Nordstrom and the three Majors," he said. "It was...booming, it was great...it'll never be what it was."
Years later a big name hotel decided to come to downtown. It not only transformed a vacant building into arguably the nicest hotel rooms in town. The Hilton also brought hope.
Business owners believed once the Hilton came so would everybody else.
For Jeffrey Psears the rumor became reality. His cafe's right across the street.
"Before the Hilton it was, it was pretty quiet," he said. "We get a lot of people that walk directly across the street."
But on nearly every street in downtown you'll still find empty businesses. No other big names followed the Hilton, but these business owners say it's too soon to say never.
It's safe to say business has picked up in the last year, in fact, it's gotten the Governor's attention. She's expected to check out downtown next week.
"I know more business are coming," said Psears.
"They got it started now we have to wait to see what happens next," Nelson said.