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This is Fred Ball for Zions Bank, speaking on business.
The discovery of rich mining districts in Utah at the turn of the 20th century not only brought with it an economic boom, but also thousands of immigrants eager to cash in on the mining business. To help accommodate the sudden influx, hotels sprang up all over the valley. Among these was Salt Lake's Peery Hotel, located at 110 West Broadway.
Built in 1910 by David and Joseph Peery, the hotel served as a favorite stop for businessmen during the 1920s. Many prominent community members could be seen lounging in the hotel's elegant European designed lobby. Originally the hotel boasted 156 rooms, and its unique "E" shaped plan on the second and third floors permitted natural light in each room, an almost unheard of feature at the time.
Harry Miles bought the hotel from the Peery brothers in 1947 and began renting rooms out as private apartments. The property fell under hard times until 1976 when David and Victor Kimball bought the suffering establishment. The Kimballs succeeded in listing the building on the National Historic Register and then made over $4 million worth of repairs and renovations. Bathrooms and other amenities were added to every room, reducing the total number to 76 luxury rooms.
After more renovations and three more rooms dissolved, Sage Hospitality Resources bought the Peery Hotel in June of 2002. With the hotel's original splendor and elegance restored and added upon, visitors can now spend the night in a piece of Utah history. With the current rise in heritage tourism travel, the hotel has fast become a favorite destination for travelers interested in Utah history (See www.peeryhotel.com for more information). In fact, the Peery Hotel recently received national exposure in the Travel+Leisure Magazine and MSN City Guides placed the Peery Hotel among the Top 10 Best Boutique Hotels in the nation.
Though the booming mining times of Utah may be over, the Perry Hotel's reputation of affordable service and elegance lives on.
For Zions Bank, I'm Fred Ball. I'm speaking on business.
