Mason Inn

The Mason Inn Conference Center & Hotel was a financial boondoggle on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax.

Initially planned at a cost of $30 million, but actually costing over $50 million to construct, the 179,000-square-foot facility, which included 148 hotel rooms and 20,000 square feet of meeting space, had its unofficial opening in June 2010.[1][2]

Initially managed by Aramark, GMU handed operations over to Fairfax-based Crestline Hotels & Resorts on April 1, 2012.[2][3]

The Mason Inn bled cash, however, and had been losing around $2 million per year by the time university president Angel Cabrera announced the facility's closing on November 18, 2013.[4]

Having lost more than $11 million in its four years of operations, it closed for good on June 17, 2014.[5][6]

All the nice furniture and fittings were sold at auction, and the building was hurredly converted into the Global Center for international English students.[7][8]

References

  1. ↑ Gardner, Amy. "GMU to Build Hotel Complex; $30 Million Center Renews Strain with Fairfax Neighbors." The Washington Post: B.6. Apr 03 2008. ProQuest. Web. 4 Feb. 2017 .
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Frederick, Missy. "George Mason’s Inn and Conference Center to Debut." Washington Business Journal. American City Business Journals, 10 May 2010. Web. 04 Feb. 2017.
  3. ↑ Clabaugh, Jeff. "Crestline to Manage The Mason Inn." Washington Business Journal. American City Business Journals, 30 Mar. 2012. Web. 04 Feb. 2017.
  4. ↑ Cooper, Rebecca. "GMU to Shutter Mason Inn." Washington Business Journal. American City Business Journals, 19 Nov. 2013. Web. 04 Feb. 2017.
  5. ↑ DeSouza, Raquel Nicole. "Former Mason Inn to House International Students." Fourth Estate. Fourth Estate, 12 Sept. 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2017.
  6. ↑ Yanchulis, Kate. "A Lodge Morphs into a Learning Site." The Washington PostOct 30 2014. ProQuest. Web. 4 Feb. 2017.
  7. ↑ Rasmus. "George Mason University's Mason Inn Being Sold at Online Auction." Rasmus Auctions Blog. Rasmus Auctions, 09 June 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2017.
  8. ↑ DeSouza, Raquel Nicole. "Former Mason Inn to House International Students." Fourth Estate. Fourth Estate, 12 Sept. 2014. Web. 04 Feb. 2017.