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Hotel can't afford big light display By TONY BOOM Mail Tribune ASHLAND - The tallest building in town, formerly a beacon of holiday cheer, is mostly unlighted in the midst of the city's Festival of Light. Ashland Springs Hotel's circa 1920s building traditionally has had its entire nine-story front lighted during the holidays. But this year there's just a star on top and lights at ground level. "It was kind of cool," said downtown resident Will Richey of the old lighting scheme. "But it doesn't affront me too much." "I thought it was cute the way they did it this year," said Ruth Jernigan, who works at Soundpeace directly across from the hotel. "I didn't notice it was less lighted." Major remodeling of the building in 1999 and 2000 has much to do with the current lighting. "Last year the Festival of Lights happened right when we tried to open the doors," said Dennis Godfrey, the hotel's manager. The hotel put up some lights dangling from the top of the building, but wind banged them against the building and bothered guests. The hotel did not install those lights this year. Lights are on first level window arches, along the marquee and on awnings. Ashland's Chamber of Commerce supplies the large, lighted star. "You can notice if for miles," said Godfrey. Ashland Springs got three bids to light the entire building. Each bid was in the $25,000 range, said Godfrey. That's more than the business can afford. But additional lighting is planned for each year with a goal to light the entire building eventually. Holiday lights were left in place when the hotel was the Mark Antony before the remodel. Other Ashland businesses also follow that practice. The lights, which couldn't be salvaged, were taken down for exterior refinishing of the building. Anchor posts for the lights also will need to be installed. Ashland's chamber spends about $35,000 per year on the holiday festival. Part of that covers labor for a contractor who makes sure all the lights and the timing system work. He contracts with individual businesses to replace troublesome lights. What started as a volunteer effort now features about 1 million lights in downtown, said Mary Pat Parker of the chamber. "Eventually we are looking forward to (the hotel) being just as lit as it has been," said Parker. Business owners pay electricity costs. Lights are turned off at 11 p.m. this year to conserve energy. In previous years they were left on until 2 a.m. The earlier shutdown will result in about a 35 percent reduction in power consumption. Reach Ashland bureau reporter Tony Boom at 482-4651, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.