11-26-2024 8:45pm

Macon Plans Dramatic Implosion of Iconic Hilton Hotel to Ring in 2025

Nate Weeks Editor

The building that once housed the Macon Hilton, and then Ramada Plaza, in Downtown Macon will be demolished on the first day of the new year (Photographer Nate Weeks)

On the first day of the New Year’s Eve, January 1, 2025, at 9 a.m. Macon will bid farewell to one of its most iconic yet long-neglected structures - the former Hilton Hotel in Downtown Macon. Standing vacant since 2017, the 16-story building is set to be demolished in a dramatic implosion to usher in 2025, symbolizing a new chapter for the city's downtown redevelopment efforts.

A Strange and Storied Past: From Elvis to Saddam Hussein

Opened in 1970, the hotel once hosted world-famous stars like Elvis Presley, who famously stayed there on April 24, 1975, during a concert tour that brought him to perform in Macon.

The building was designed by Morris Lapidus, designer of the extravagant Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. The Macon Hilton was celebrated for its modernist architecture and luxurious accommodations in its early years. However, financial woes plagued the property, culminating in the New York Banking Department seizing the hotel in 1991.

The reason was that it was claimed to be part of a fraudulent scheme tied to Bank of Credit and Commerce International, a bank that faced accusations that it helped Saddam Hussein hide profits from the sale of Iraqi oil, was also tied to Oliver North’s infamous arms deals with Iran, and many other nefarious plots, according to CT Insider.

Following its closure, attempts to repurpose the structure faltered, as its aging design, including low ceilings and inadequate infrastructure, made renovation unfeasible. While many commenters online made comments about renovating the building into housing, Mayor Miller responded that the building was beyond repair.

Macon-Bibb County acquired the property in early 2024 for $4.8 million and committed over $2.4 million for its demolition.

Paving the Way for Redevelopment

The demolition is part of a broader effort to continue the revitalization of downtown Macon and its riverfront. Preliminary plans for the site and surrounding areas include mixed-use developments with residential, commercial, and recreational spaces. Mayor Lester Miller has expressed optimism that the project will catalyze economic growth, potentially recouping the investment many times over through new opportunities.

While the community eagerly anticipates the transformation, local stakeholders, such as nearby Christ Episcopal Church, have voiced concerns about preserving the integrity of neighboring historic landmarks during the demolition process.

The Urban Development Authority has a plan for the land where the hotel now stands. Renaissance on the River is a project that was first proposed over two decades ago. The project was previously said to be a $50 million development that would include an upscale tower hotel, condominiums, and office space. Renaissance on the River was previously planned to be constructed at other locations through the years, including the demolished Central Services building on Riverside Drive back in 2011.

If all goes as planned, Downtown Macon will be losing a memorable building with an intriguing past but gaining more modern buildings and hopefully something that will bring successful businesses, visitors, and locals to Downtown Macon and nearby attractions like the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, which will hopefully soon be the newest National Park.

The Georgia Dome is one of the most famous implosions to have taken place in our state