The Cedars Hotel

Has anyone ever thought about the possibility of the restoration and conversion back to the Cedars Hotel from employee housing?

I realize that conditions there are currently about the same as a typical soviet gulag but I couldnt help but notice the structure of the building on my last visit when I was at Famous Daves. I realized that the same trees were still planted in between buildings from some very old pictures of the hotel and to me that is fascinating. A fully restored and updated Cedars Hotel with modern ammenities but retaining all the orginal construction like the Breakers is a place I just may be willing to pay a small premium to stay at. Also access to the marina would be a huge bonus and another area of the park would be made availible to guests.

Its just a thought but I was curious if I am the only one who thinks about stuff like this when I am there? If not chime in, is there anything you have seen at the park that was public but isnt anymore? What are your thoughts on it and do you think it should be re-opened? I personally wouldnt mind seeing that ballroom above the arcade fixed up alittle more and maybe a concert there once in awhile.

What about authentic recreations of, or the purchase of very old and or historic rides? Cedar Point has stated it wanted to be more family friendly and some lost rides were certainly in that category. Rocket Ships anyone?

I was thinking the same thing when I was reading the other thread on future expansion ideas. Moving the employee housing to the other end of the causeway, as they seem to be doing, would free up this zone for redevelopment. I don't think the current structure is cost effective to try and renovate. Probably cheaper to tear it down and start again. You could follow the interesting original design with modern upgrades (thus preserving those nice trees). If they price it as a moderate hotel just north of Breakers Express on price, I think they will have a real money maker.

However, is this old hotel listed as an historical landmark?

The biggest concern that comes to mind is where would all of the hotel guests park?

There seems to be enough hotel rooms on-point right now and that building is definitely way too old to be concerned with a renovation for guests. The dimensions of the wings alone would not satisfy today's standards for a hotel room. The current rooms in that building for the most part feature enough room for two twin beds, a little bit of walking space, and a light bulb in the ceiling (which I'm guessing was just fine in the early 1900's). You'd be looking into tearing walls down to make rooms larger and such, which I'm not sure is feasible with its age.

This does lead me to another idea I always thought about and I'm sure could happen someday... being such an old, run-down building that most employees do not desire living in, I think it could be removed completely and have some more employee housing built off-point. This could lead to further park or marina facility expansion. Remove/relocate WildCat for park access, re-route perimeter road, and you've got a decent chunk of land near the water to work with. Not sure if the proximity to the marina would support a roller coaster, but I guess dock holders have to listen to Raptor and many others each day.

No need to move Wildcat for another entrance. There's already one over there just the other side of the theater.

Well, yes, but only saying if they were to extend the park out that way. Like a midway extension or walkway for something new. Otherwise, I suppose that area could be used for out-of-park purposes still.

With a proper renovation the building could be listed as historic, also CP's very first hotel was later turned into the Cedars when the second 2 wings were built. You can still use the current parking lot for quests. I am not sure if it would be a good idea to tear it down with the history involved in that building.

Cedar Point has lost many links to its past so I wouldnt be quick to remove another, A great example of something it lost can be found in the G.A. Boeckling. The ferry was sold to be used as a warehouse and when it finally was bought by an independant group to be restored it suffered an accident that caused it to be burned to the water line in Toledo in the 1980's.

It brings another thought to the surface, has the management ever thought of locating some of the more notable pieces of the parks lost history and returning them if they do still exsist somewhere?

I know the history of the Cedars, but it really doesn't change the fact that it is just a crappy wood frame building that looks like it came from an eastern block country during the cold war. Also, the parking lot is needed for marina dock holders. I can't imagine that building ever becoming a hotel again, though if they don't tear it down when it is no longer a dorm, it would make a great haunted house for Halloweekends.

^ Just the thought of that excites me. :)

Tear it down, build a games and merch office and that frees up a ton of space in the front of the park to do whatever with.

+1

That building is definitely not worth any attempt at restoration. They use the one wing facing the Famous Dave's lot as the "executive apartments," where they will put up VIP's, traveling sales folks and others from time to time. They're comfortable, and some can sleep as many as six people. They can't rent the rooms, from what I understand, because they would require certain renovations to meet building codes for hotel rooms.

If they want to add rooms, I can almost guarantee that the Bon Air wing of Breakers would come down first.