IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
The Palm Springs Spa Resort Hotel closed Tuesday after more than 50 years in business.
The hotel employed about 160 people, and there’s no way of knowing if the facility will ever reopen, according to a report in The Press Enterprise.
The hotel’s owner, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, first announced the closure in May. The closing, which surprised many people in the desert community, marked the beginning of a new era for downtown Palm Springs, Tribal chairman Jeff Grubbe said in a statement.
Beyond that, tribal officials gave no indication regarding what might happen to the property on East Amador Road, and nothing has changed in the meantime. No schedule has been set for announcing plans, and for now tribal officials say they will work on preserving the natural mineral spring there, according to the report.
The tribe’s casino, across the street from the hotel, will remain open.
Palm Springs Spa Resort did strong business during its last weekend, the three-day Fourth of July weekend. Only 15 to 20 of the hotel’s employees have been reassigned to other tribal-owned businesses, according to the report.
