Latest news with #Ramada
Chicago Tribune
16-07-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Column: With razing, Ramada site opens door for new life
The much-maligned former Ramada Inn is gone, the space now a forlorn, empty lot, home only to an oversized backhoe. It took long enough for the troublesome Waukegan property to be razed to the ground. The last thing standing from the edifice is the sign for Stretch's Bar & Grill, the final occupant of the once-grand hotel. Getting rid of the vacant hospitality complex comprised of five buildings was a tough call for city officials under two mayoral administrations. During Mayor Sam Cunningham's first term in office, the owners of the property were threatened in 2019 with the demolition of the buildings. The mayor, elected to a second term in April after being out of office for four years, has seen that action come to fruition, even though he lobbied owners in 2019 to fix up the property and keep it as a functioning hotel. Making it something worthy of its location may also be challenging. Yet, Waukeganites can agree that anything is better on the five-acre site than a charming six-foot-tall chain-link fence surrounding the boarded-up hotel at 200 N. Green Bay Road, near Brookside Avenue. The eyesore had been an empty blemish, abandoned by the hotel operator in 2018 with all furnishings left behind, including everything guests would need, such as beds. The empty hotel became a favorite home for inventive squatters seeking shelter as electricity and water were still available. City police shagged or arrested nearly 50 individuals over the years, including eight who had outstanding warrants, in the time it took to wreck the building. There were two killings of apparent drifters in 2023. Graffiti adorned boarded-up windows. Adding to the decaying site were two fires, believed to be intentionally set. Another calamity was burst pipes, adding to the hotel's distress. The complex was red-tagged repeatedly by city inspectors. Which was too bad. If location, location, location is the mantra of the real estate industry, the former Ramada site is a top-shelf realty spot. Busy Green Bay Road is a booming sector in that part of Waukegan. The old hotel was neighbors with busy auto dealers and mini-malls, along with nearby apartments. Folks by it must be gleeful to see the two-story scar come down, memories of the tarnished site hauled away with tons of debris from the bulldozed site. Once, the Ramada was a prime spot for visitors, its dining room a destination in the 1970s and '80s for families, especially its Sunday brunch, which shamed many spreads in close-in North Shore communities. Parents of sailors graduating from 'boot' camp at Naval Station Great Lakes used the hotel as their base when viewing the naval pomp of summer graduation ceremonies held on Ross Field. The Ramada more than rivaled Waukegan's other hotels located downtown, which were heading for hosting their last guests. Their names remain for many, even though over the years few of the buildings stand and those that do have been turned into housing. The Clayton, The Waukegan, The Karcher, The Plaza and The Travel Lodge all attracted visitors, with businessmen and sales reps calling on the legacy industries which dotted the city's lakefront and provided local jobs for thousands. It was a golden age for Waukegan's once-flourishing hospitality industry. With the boarded-up buildings on the city's near-West Side leveled, the future is wide open for what can replace the rundown hotel. The site has new life after decades of first being a fancy hotel and then a blight. Currently, it remains in limbo over what will happen moving forward, but the Ramada headache is over for city officials and residents. An extension of one of the car dealers' properties could happen. Certainly, the location can be repurposed into something useful and better looking. It's doubtful another hospitality chain would take a chance and build another hotel/motel. Before its demise, proposals over the years included transforming the site into apartments or senior-citizen housing. Those sound like good starts to kick off planning for what comes next. Developers and city planners have an empty canvas to work with as the scar thousands of motorists journeying along Green Bay Road have seen daily no longer exists. An empty lot surely is better than a deteriorated hulk.
Zawya
19-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
G Wellness Company Limited Partners with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts to Launch the First Internationally Branded Hotel in Banjul, The Gambia
G Wellness Company Limited, a subsidiary of MP Trading Group, is proud to announce its strategic partnership with Wyndham Hotels&Resorts ( the world's largest hotel franchising company, to debut the first internationally branded resort in Banjul, The Gambia, under the globally recognized Ramada by Wyndham brand. This landmark development marks a significant milestone for The Gambia's growing tourism and hospitality sector, reinforcing its status as a rising destination in West Africa. Located on the Atlantic coast, The Gambia is known for its vibrant culture, rich history, and natural beauty. As the smallest country on mainland Africa, it has made impressive strides in recent years to position tourism as a key pillar of national development. In 2019 alone, the country welcomed over 620,000 visitors, with the government continuing to invest in infrastructure and travel-related services to boost its global appeal. The new Ramada Resort by Wyndham Banjul will be situated in the popular coastal town of Kotu, a well-established tourist hub known for its scenic beaches and lively local markets. Conveniently located approximately 22 kilometers from Banjul International Airport and about 15 kilometers from Banjul city center, the resort will feature 65 elegantly appointed guest rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, lounge bar, ocean-view swimming pool, wellness spa, and meeting facilities — offering both leisure and business travelers an elevated stay experience. 'Partnering with Wyndham Hotels&Resorts for this landmark project in Banjul marks an important milestone for us,' said Mr. Manish Tilokani, Chairman of MP Trading Group. 'Bringing the first internationally branded resort in The Gambia is a meaningful step in our growth, and with Ramada by Wyndham, we are committed to delivering high-quality hospitality standards. We look forward to welcoming guests to the resort by mid-2026.' 'This collaboration with G Wellness Company Limited represents a significant addition to our portfolio in West Africa,' said Govind Mundra, Head of Development – Middle East&Africa at Wyndham Hotels&Resorts. 'It reflects our ongoing focus on expanding into high-potential, underserved markets and supporting our partners in delivering trusted, branded hospitality. We value our relationship with Mr. Manish and his team and see strong potential for further development across the region.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Wyndham.
Zawya
19-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
G Wellness Company Limited partners with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts
Dubai / Banjul – G Wellness Company Limited, a subsidiary of MP Trading Group, is proud to announce its strategic partnership with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, the world's largest hotel franchising company, to debut the first internationally branded resort in Banjul, The Gambia, under the globally recognized Ramada by Wyndham brand. This landmark development marks a significant milestone for The Gambia's growing tourism and hospitality sector, reinforcing its status as a rising destination in West Africa. Located on the Atlantic coast, The Gambia is known for its vibrant culture, rich history, and natural beauty. As the smallest country on mainland Africa, it has made impressive strides in recent years to position tourism as a key pillar of national development. In 2019 alone, the country welcomed over 620,000 visitors, with the government continuing to invest in infrastructure and travel-related services to boost its global appeal. The new Ramada Resort by Wyndham Banjul will be situated in the popular coastal town of Kotu, a well-established tourist hub known for its scenic beaches and lively local markets. Conveniently located approximately 22 kilometers from Banjul International Airport and about 15 kilometers from Banjul city center, the resort will feature 65 elegantly appointed guest rooms, an all-day dining restaurant, lounge bar, ocean-view swimming pool, wellness spa, and meeting facilities — offering both leisure and business travelers an elevated stay experience. ''Partnering with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts for this landmark project in Banjul marks an important milestone for us,' said Mr. Manish Tilokani, Chairman of MP Trading Group. 'Bringing the first internationally branded resort in The Gambia is a meaningful step in our growth, and with Ramada by Wyndham, we are committed to delivering high-quality hospitality standards. We look forward to welcoming guests to the resort by mid-2026.'.' This collaboration with G Wellness Company Limited represents a significant addition to our portfolio in West Africa,' said Govind Mundra, Head of Development – Middle East & Africa at Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. 'It reflects our ongoing focus on expanding into high-potential, underserved markets and supporting our partners in delivering trusted, branded hospitality. We value our relationship with Mr. Manish and his team and see strong potential for further development across the region.'
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Time of India
Accountant of two Ektanagar hotels embezzles 51L
Vadodara: An accountant who worked for two prominent hotels at Ektanagar in Narmada district, has been accused of embezzling Rs 51.34 lakh. An FIR for this was registered at Kevadiya police station on Saturday. According to the FIR filed by the manager of the hotels, the embezzlement came to light during an audit of accounts of the Ramada and Comfort (Sankalp) hotels in Ektanagar for the 2023-24 financial year. The discrepancies were worth Rs 46.74 lakh at the Ramada and Rs 4.6 lakh at the Comfort. The accountant of the hotels, Ravikaran Tiwari, was questioned about the discrepancies. He claimed the money had been deposited, but online tagging was pending, and it was hence not reflected in the account. He said this would happen shortly. Tiwari quit the job after March 2024. While auditing the 2024-25 accounts, the discrepancy from the previous financial year remained. This time, when Tiwari was asked, he replied via WhatsApp that he had quit the job and was not responsible for the matter. When asked to visit the hotel and check the accounts, he grew evasive. The manager and complainant, Manojkumar Maharaj, checked the register himself and ascertained that Tiwari had been handed the cash but did not deposit it. He then registered an offence against Tiwari.
Time of India
04-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Goa prof Sergio Carvalho's actions spurred rules for development on country's coasts
By Claude Alvares Sergio Carvalho, who passed away in Goa on April 27, 2025, at 83, was not a politician, not a bureaucrat, and not an environmental activist in the formal sense. Yet his actions in 1987 led to the creation of one of India's most significant environmental regulations — the Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) Notification of 1991. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now An academic at Nirmala Institute of Education in Panaji, Carvalho was alarmed when central govt reduced the no-development buffer along India's coastline from 500m to 200m of the high tide line (HTL) to promote tourism. This move came at a time when Goa was beginning to attract direct charter flights and investors eager to build beach resorts. One such resort — Ramada — was already under construction on the pristine Varca beach. Upon obtaining a letter from the Union environment ministry, issued under the newly enacted Environment Protection Act, 1986, Carvalho found that the resort's construction violated several provisions. It exceeded height limits, was tapping groundwater in a prohibited zone, and had built structures within 200m of the HTL. Carvalho penned a letter to the high court, which issued a notice. But when Carvalho realised he would have to argue the case himself, he approached the newly formed Goa Foundation. The foundation reached out to Indira Jaising, a well-known public interest lawyer, who agreed to represent the case. In court, Jaising faced Justice Gustavo Couto, who promptly stayed the Ramada construction, observing that it prima facie violated the environment ministry's guidelines. She was then asked to file a formal petition. Thus began Sergio Carvalho v. Union of India, a landmark case challenging central govt's decision to reduce the no-development zone, and the specifics of the Ramada project — its height, use of groundwater, and proximity to the sea. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The final hearing came up in Dec 1988 before a division bench headed by Justice M L Pendse, a judge known for balancing development interests with legal rigour. Pendse ruled that Indira Gandhi's 1981 letter mandating a 500m no-development zone was not law but merely executive guidance. Ramada's main building, meanwhile, rose to 24m, far beyond the permitted 9m. The company argued that it had misunderstood the regulation, interpreting the height limit as applying 'up to the eaves' — a loophole the environment ministry later legitimised via an office memorandum, effectively saving the structure. The court appointed Goa's first chief town planner (then retired) as commissioner. His report confirmed multiple violations: excessive height, tube wells drawing groundwater, and unauthorised structures within the 200m zone. However, the commissioner also offered an ecological rationale: the 200-metre strip typically housed primary sand dunes critical to coastal stability. He endorsed a 200-metre no-development buffer. The court accepted this reasoning and incorporated it into its ruling. Though the hotel's main building was spared, Ramada was ordered to dismantle all structures within the 200m zone and shut down groundwater extraction. The space above the 9m height was declared unusable for commercial purpose. Despite these partial victories, the HC ultimately dismissed the petition. Carvalho's appeal to the Supreme Court was also unsuccessful. On paper, he had lost; but he had planted the seeds of a national policy. In the wake of the judgment, Jaising drafted a model notification under the Environment Protection Act, which the Goa Foundation submitted to the environment ministry. Around the same time, the Bombay Environmental Action Group submitted its own version. These efforts culminated in the CRZ notification, issued on Feb 19, 1991. The CRZ notification was revolutionary. It formalised a no-development zone of 200m from the HTL, imposed strict guidelines for construction within 200-500m, and banned groundwater extraction within the entire 500m stretch. For the first time, India's entire 7,000km coastline came under a uniform legal framework to manage and restrict development. Though the original notification was revised over the years, its core principles are intact. The CRZ rules have guided coastal development across India, all because one Goan professor decided to act. Carvalho never took credit for the tidal shift his letter created. But on this World Environment Day, it is worth remembering that environmental protection often begins not with power or position, but with a simple sense of responsibility — and the courage to act. (The writer is an environmental activist)
