IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
The Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation in Highland will purchase the historic Mission Inn Hotel & Spa in downtown Riverside.
The tribe is expected to assume control of the 238-room hotel, a centerpiece of downtown and one of the city’s best-known landmarks, at the end of this month, according to multiple reports.
Financial terms were not released.
Built in 1876 and restored in the early 1900’s, the hotel at Orange Street and Mission Inn Avenue is recognized for its famous Mission Revival architecture, curated gardens and courtyards, guest rooms, and artifacts, according to a statement on the tribe’s website.
Local businessman and philanthropist Duane Roberts and his wife Kelly purchased the property for $15.6 million in 1992.
That purchase saved the hotel from the wrecking ball and helped start a revival of downtown Riverside. The couple created the Festival of Lights, an annual event that involves millions of lights and marks the unofficial start of the holiday season in Riverside.
Duane Roberts passed away last November at the age of 88.
“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as stewards of The Mission Inn,” said Kelly Roberts in a statement on the tribe’s website, “Duane and I poured our hearts into preserving its legacy while evolving it for future generations. I have great confidence that Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation will carry this legacy forward with care, respect, and vision.”
