When the Grove Park Inn celebrated its centennial, the famous establishment didn’t hand out goodie bags at the end of its birthday party — it lit up the night sky with a fantastic fireworks display. The spectacle was the culmination of a day-long event, which featured music, local artists, the unveiling of a time capsule and a champagne toast. The 100-year-old inn has been the lodging location of choice for famous figures like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Thomas Edison, along with many American presidents including William Howard Taft, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower and current commander-in-chief, Barack Obama.
The Grove Park Inn was recently bought by Omni Hotels & Resorts in June, making it the second time in less than a year that the establishment has been sold. It was previously owned by KSL Resorts. The Grove Park Inn was also recently featured on CNN as one of “8 fabulous hotels still fresh at 100.”
People could be seen standing on the sidewalk off of Kimberly Avenue to watch the night’s explosions in the sky. Others sat in the grass, oohing and aahing. Cars slowed down as drivers tried to catch a glimpse of the spectacle. Xpress reporter Caitlin Byrd was on the scene to capture the highlights (the finale can be found at the top of this post).
— Caitlin Byrd can be reached at 251-1333, ext. 140, or cbyrd@mountainx.com.
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