Remembering The Hotel Robert Meyer

[Metro Jacksonville]

Remembering The Hotel Robert Meyer



Metro Jacksonville takes a look at what was Florida's largest commercial hotel at the time of its opening on March 22, 1959:  The Hotel Robert Meyer.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-dec-remembering-the-hotel-robert-meyer-

[Noone]

Another piece of Jacksonville history that I didn't know but I do now. Thank you for sharing it.

[Dog Walker]

Ed Ball, of DuPont Trust, St. Joe Paper Co., Florida National Bank, and Florida East Coast Railroad fame, lived in a suite on the top floor of the Robert Myer for years.

We watched the implosion with friends.  A first for us too.

[sheclown]

great article.

[spuwho]

The hotel opened Jacksonville to the lucrative convention trade and gave the city exposure to state and regional groups who held annual meetings.

''It afforded an opportunity to bring a lot of conventions here that had never been able to come here before for lack of lodging,'' Corey said.

But the convention bonanza never materialized. Despite the early fanfare, the hotel soon began a downhill financial slide and closed in bankruptcy in 1977. In 1980, a group of Jacksonville investors that included developer Preston Haskell purchased the hotel and spent $10 million on improvements. They reopened it as the Holiday Inn City Center. But by 1982, the building was closed again due to lack of business.

If they didn't come in the 23 year existence of this hotel, why do we think they would come now?

Why would someone hold a convention in Jacksonville, when one of the largest convention and tourism centers of the US is only 2.5 hours away?

It was a very nice hotel for its time, but it came when greater Jax was on its post WWII decline.

[thelakelander]

Smaller groups already hold conventions, trade shows and events in Jacksonville.  Instead of worrying about competing with Orlando for mega events that won't come here anyway, my take on the convention issue is to better place and utilize what we already have.  This view is pretty similar to the idea of better exposing existing retail and restaurants already operating downtown with the streets adjacent to them instead of worrying about how to get Publix, Whole Foods or Macy's there.

As for the Robert Meyer, it appears it died with everything else in downtown during the 70s/80s period of decline.

[Ocklawaha]

It was truly the last of the great hotel-tourist era in Jacksonville, I think it presided over the change from a one-time tourist mecca to a business and finance center. Don't know how many times I was in that place, it was beautiful inside. At least when it came down something else just as imposing and perhaps more attractive went up in it's place... THE way to do it.

If they didn't come in the 23 year existence of this hotel, why do we think they would come now?

Why would someone hold a convention in Jacksonville, when one of the largest convention and tourism centers of the US is only 2.5 hours away?

It was a very nice hotel for its time, but it came when greater Jax was on its post WWII decline.

REALLY? In case you haven't noticed we live in Jacksonville F L O R I D A ! AND Florida is reason number one to come here. When you've gone to Disney 3,295 times you and your company are ready for a change of
scenery. Why did the American Railroads and Maritime interests hold their recent summit in AMELIA ISLAND? After all its just Fernandina right? Did you know we are one of the greatest outdoor recreation cities in the WORLD? With both rivers and beaches its a killer combination. Pristine pine woods and the oldest European settlement in North America would round out the attraction but it doesn't... there's more... Did you know we have more state and national parks, monuments or recreation areas then ANY other city? Reason enough - we just have to have the capacity to handle the crowds and make it inviting.

OCKLAWAHA

[spuwho]

Reason enough - we just have to have the capacity to handle the crowds and make it inviting.

There in lies the rub. We aren't inviting.

When I travel, no one knows about Jacksonville as a destination in Florida for anything. I got a call last week to meet someone in Fort Lauderdale next year. They commented, "oh you are just a couple hours away". My response, is "no, I am not". It is just one example of how unrecognizable the First Coast is.

Thinking Jacksonville is like Tampa, Orlando and Miami is like saying Northern California is like Los Angeles and San Diego. They aren't the same even though they are in the same state. 

I agree with Ock on the distinctions of the area, but it has to be appealing and it has to be known outside of the southeast.  Even when I lived in Seattle, I saw commercials for Greater Orlando and Miami by print or by broadcast media. I have even seen ads for Amelia Island Plantation when I was in Salt Lake City.

Do we want to fill rooms by tourism? by business? by sports? by military? a little by all, a lot by one?

If the Robert Meyer were built at the beach, would it still be there today? Why would a tourist stay in a downtown hotel in Jacksonville?

I think the questions about the Robert Meyer still exist today.

[finehoe]

Why would a tourist stay in a downtown hotel in Jacksonville?

They used to: 

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jul-lost-jacksonville-downtown-hotels-the-grande-dames

Surely it's possible to make them want to again.

[I-10east]

I'm surprised that they didn't consider converting the RMH/HICC into apartments. RMH seemed like it was on par with a building like Tower Place, or the Cathedral Complex Towers. I came to Jax in 86' and never saw that hotel open. That hotel's demolition is featured on the intro of the Discovery Channel show "Detonators".

[spuwho]

Why would a tourist stay in a downtown hotel in Jacksonville?

They used to: 

http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jul-lost-jacksonville-downtown-hotels-the-grande-dames

Surely it's possible to make them want to again.

Surely it is.

We have everything necessary to make Jacksonville the most preeminent city of the South.  That is, except for leadership.

I agree with Stephen, but the "Grande Dames" of Jacksonville were based on a completely different set of economics, demographics and transportation methods.

While it is good to look back at times to not repeat mistakes, Jacksonville needs to stop looking back at what it "was" and start deciding on what it wants to be and deliver on it.

So far I have seen a lot of ideas, a lot of vision, a lot of concepts.  Make a decision and do it better than anyone else.

If Hilton dropped in today and said "we want to build a 15 story luxury hotel in central Jacksonville", what would we say? Would we question it? Would we want to justify it for planning purposes? Would we just say, yes?

Or would we learn from the Robert Meyer?

[Ocklawaha]

Reason enough - we just have to have the capacity to handle the crowds and make it inviting.

There in lies the rub. We aren't inviting.

Thinking Jacksonville is like Tampa, Orlando and Miami is like saying Northern California is like Los Angeles and San Diego. They aren't the same even though they are in the same state.

No actually for a nature loving old hippie, Northern California has about 10,000 more reasons for me to visit then the smog choked concrete jungle of LA or SD. Stephen? How about you? I'm sure there are lots of us out there that would love to stand in the surf at Talbot Island, the millions that visit Lookout Mountain and Gettysburg are the same people that would swarm over the Kingsley Plantation, Olustee, Yellow Bluff and Pumpkin Hill. We have a market and its huge, just for tourists alone. From the looks of things, we don't do bad as it is... compare these with Omaha, Amarillo or Madision.

http://www.travelmuse.com/destinations/US/FL/031/00-duval-county/_attractions

Visit Jacksonville reports $1.5 billion tourism impact

05/11/2010

Visit Jacksonville reported Monday that in the midst of a recession and high unemployment, Duval County attracted 2.6 million overnight visitors in 2009, generating an economic impact of $1.5 billion.

The second annual Jacksonville Value of Tourism study focused on the economic impact and profile of the typical overnight Jacksonville visitor. The organization used Tampa-based Research Data Services Inc. for the year-long survey.

Overnight visitors, defined as those staying in commercial lodging, such as hotels, and those staying with friends and relatives, were responsible for $893.5 million in direct spending within the destination last year.

The combination of direct and indirect spending contributed to $1.5 billion in visitor spending at restaurants, attractions and activities, rental cars, park fees and related spending.

This spending supported 42,900 jobs in the county, or nearly 11 percent of the local workforce, and almost $67 million in total sales and local option tax revenues last year, the survey found.

Visit Jacksonville said that because of contributions to local taxes, visitors saved each Duval County household an estimated $173 in taxes for 2009.

“The downturn in the economy has significantly affected all industries and Jacksonville’s tourism industry has not been immune. While visits and visitor spending were down slightly from 2008 by approximately 6 percent, the reality is that many destinations have fared worse and we anticipated a larger decrease based on national trends,” said Mya Carter, Visit Jacksonville interim president and CEO.

She said Jacksonville’s tourism industry is poised for rebound and growth in 2010.

Hotels have already seen signs of regaining strength in 2010, with occupancy above 60 percent in both February and March, the first time since October 2008.

Visit Jacksonville provided a profile for a typical overnight visitor to Jacksonville in 2009:

• Average visitor age was 49 years old.

• The median annual household income was nearly $106,200.

• Eighty-three percent of travelers were in town for vacation or events or visiting friends or relatives, while 23 percent of visitors were in town for business purposes. The numbers exceed 100 percent because some visitors were here for both.

• The majority of visitors to the destination (36 percent) came from within the Southeast U.S. (other than Florida), followed by instate visitors (26 percent).

• The top five market cities with the largest number of visitors to the area were, in order, Atlanta, Orlando, Tampa/St. Petersburg, New York and Miami/Fort Lauderdale.

• Jacksonville visitors had a 92 percent satisfaction rate with the destination.

• Perceived as “excellent” were friendliness of residents; level of service; value for the dollar.

I agree with Ock on the distinctions of the area, but it has to be appealing and it has to be known outside of the southeast.  Even when I lived in Seattle, I saw commercials for Greater Orlando and Miami by print or by broadcast media. I have even seen ads for Amelia Island Plantation when I was in Salt Lake City.

I think you might agree but probably didn't know the extent of our local tourism dollars, but hey, we're a full service digital magazine.

Do we want to fill rooms by tourism? by business? by sports? by military? a little by all, a lot by one?

Really no matter how you cut it, we are a VERY BIG CITY, well within America's TOP 50 cities and larger in population then the entire states of:

41. Maine --- 1,328,361

42. New Hampshire --- 1,316,470

43. Rhode Island --- 1,052,567

44. Montana --- 989,415

45. Delaware --- 897,934

46. South Dakota --- 814,180

47. Alaska --- 710,231

48. North Dakota --- 672,591

49. Vermont --- 625,741

50. District of Columbia --- 601,723

51. Wyoming --- 563,626

If the Robert Meyer were built at the beach, would it still be there today? Why would a tourist stay in a downtown hotel in Jacksonville?

The "Sea Turtle Inn" aka ONE OCEAN RESORT seems to be doing well, if large old hotels were doomed it would have gone down long ago. Downtown? Downtown is actually fun to visit and comes across as a pretty cosmopolitan place thanks to our major hotels and the Landing. The folks from Phoenix can't get over a river taxi, hell they can't get over a river... well, they can't even get over WATER! When I visited JAX a few years back I'd stay in the Omni, and have to tell you it was either excellent or Juliette's Bistro and Lounge was making really stiff drinks. Even the Skyway dazzles visitors... since about 8 in 10 American's are still waiting for "the train of the future when the country will be crossed by monorail," we're way ahead of them. (BTW IT WON'T)

I think the questions about the Robert Meyer still exist today.

Questions about business viability will always be with us, change is eternal. Just ask Des Moines, what they think of Jacksonville in January. Des Moines, the place that sells itself as the cheap convention capital and still has a center 2.5 x ours.


OCKLAWAHA

[YellowBluffRoad]

I stayed at the HICC one night in high school for a regional school conference. As a long time Jacksonville resident that stay was the first time I'd seen a great view of downtown from downtown, and I still remember how interesting it was to see the city from that perspective. I can see why Ed Ball would have taken the top floor.

Unfortunately, other than the view (and I don't know how interesting a non-local would have found it), from an occupant's perspective the HICC seemed pretty milquetoast by that time.The room quality by then didn't seem to live up to the grace the structure itself had.  It seemed a shame, but not surprising at the time, that it couldn't keep the occupancy numbers needed to stay in business. I didn't know anything about its pre-HICC history until today, thanks for the rest of the story.

[stjr]

I celebrated a New Year's Eve there when it was the Holiday Inn.  Restaurant was white table cloth, not like a typical Holiday Inn.  I thought Holiday Inn was the wrong flag for that hotel and was surprised the investors chose it.  They should have gone with Marriott, Hilton, Sheraton, or other brand whose image catered to professional and business executive travelers more, not interstate traveling families.

I also remember attending events in the Robert Meyer ballroom.  It was the biggest hotel function space in town holding, as I recall, up to 500 for dinner.  Seems to me the RM inherited the legacy of the George Washington for hosting the main events of the day.

I think it died mostly due to the death of downtown than anything to do with the hotel.  If we want downtown hotels to thrive, we need a vibrant downtown first.  The hotels will be happy to follow.  Not the other way around.  Unfortunately, I don't see the momentum for this to happen presently.  As stated many times, lack of vision, a consistently executed plan, and leadership.

[I-10east]

To be honest, Spuwho, I think thats exactly what Haydon Burns tried to do when he eradicated the maritime riverfront of the downtown, and decided instead to pursue corporate insurance and towers as a financial base of the city.

I hafta disagree Stephen. IMO the days of the maritime riverfront piers is of a bygone era; Look at with they are shipping out (on that pic) for gawdsakes, barrels of rum. LOL. IMO Haydons burns made the necessary changes; IMO the financial area of DT Jax is hella more important than a coupla rickety piers that aren't particularly pleasing to the eye. We have plenty of marinas/shipping areas all over the city like the Southbank marina, and Jaxport.