Biltmore Hotel on Meridian

[Pete]

Once largest hotel in OKC being demolished

Demolition has started at what was once the largest hotel in Oklahoma City.

When it opened in 1972, the Hilton Inn West had over 500 rooms in three separate buildings with tennis courts and four pools, one indoors.

It featured the upscale Brandywine Room restaurant and the Sportspage Club was one of the most popular places in town with live music and a hopping bar scene.

It helped establish the I-40 and Meridian area as a hotspot for hotels and restaurants. The Hilton had quite a bit of conference space and was a regional draw.

But in the 90s the property fell into disrepair as many newer hotels were built along Meridian and downtown began to see a resurgence. The southern building was split from the main property, renovated and incorporated into a new Hawthorn Suites.

The remainder of the property, operating as the Biltmore Hotel, was recently sold to a company specializing in large trucking equipment rental and sales.

The remaining section in the northeast corner of the property now has a strip center facing Meridian with a liquor store and dispensary in place of the 70s facade. Within the next two years, it will also be bulldozed to make way for the trucking operation.

[Boop]

Trucking operation is meh but it is sad to see the hotel being demolished but it is for the best anyway

[shavethewhales]

Trading one eye sore for another. That entire region of the city is nothing but random industry and highway-oriented businesses with a random water park thrown in. It's a wasteland of disposable buildings and copy-paste commercialism. Oh well, a trucking business is at least a vital service vs. a run down hotel.

[Celebrator]

Probably gonna mow down those nice, mature Live Oaks in the courtyard, too, as I am sure the trucking company won't want to have them located right there. That makes me more sad than the loss of the building. Looks there are about 4-6, nice, tall Live Oaks in there.

[gjl]

I spent many nights in the Sportspage Club with co-workers after working 2nd shift in the late 70s.

[Pete]

In high school I worked at the hotel just to the north of what was then the Hilton Inn West. It's now the Red Roof Inn but used to be Crosswinds.

That Hilton was just a huge deal and would host masses of people, particularly during horse shows.

This was back when Molly Murphy's and other places were killing it in that area.

[gjl]

After one night at the Sportspage, one of my buddies who had had more than a few saw that they had just laid some fresh sod in that little strip between the parking lot and 3rd street where there are trees now.. Well he decided he needed some sod at his house. It was close to 2:00 and kind of dark, no one around, so he started rolling some up and throwing it in the back of his El Camino and drove off. He took quite a bit. We never let him forget how dumb that was to do if he had got caught for many years after.

[gjl]

In high school I worked at the hotel just to the north of what was then the Hilton Inn West. It's now the Red Roof Inn but used to be Crosswinds.

That Hilton was just a huge deal and would host masses of people, particularly during horse shows.

This was back when Molly Murphy's and other places were killing it in that area.

We would go to Texana Reds upstairs and shoot pool and drink beer in the 80s after work too. (day shift) Chisholm's too.

[Pete]

^

Cajun's Warf was a big deal for a while.

Hungry Peddlar. Applewood's.

[gjl]

Applewood's fritters. There was so much good around Reno and Meridian back in the day.

[Dob Hooligan]

Probably gonna mow down those nice, mature Live Oaks in the courtyard, too, as I am sure the trucking company won't want to have them located right there. That makes me more sad than the loss of the building. Looks there are about 4-6, nice, tall Live Oaks in there.

They were boxed in by a crime infested motel. Unable to be seen by traffic. Did you know they were there before you saw Pete’s drone shots today?

[Celebrator]

They were boxed in by a crime infested motel. Unable to be seen by traffic. Did you know they were there before you saw Pete’s drone shots today?

No. Does that matter?

[bucktalk]

Its sort of sad to see that area of town become so 'seedy'. When I lived in western Oklahoma we would purposely head toward I-40 Meridian area to eat (Applewoods, etc) and spend the night. Now? I wouldn't frequent the area if my life depended on it.

[Pete]

I wouldn't call that area seedy.

This hotel has been bad for a while but there are way more hotel rooms now than ever before.

The restaurants have generally migrated to other, more populated areas. But there are still a bunch.

[bucktalk]

I wouldn't call that area seedy.

This hotel has been bad for a while but there are way more hotel rooms now than ever before.

The restaurants have generally migrated to other, more populated areas. But there are still a bunch.

Well, maybe 'seedy' is a bit harsh. But I will say when friends/family visit OKC I never suggest that area for a place to stay/eat.

[Pete]

Well, maybe 'seedy' is a bit harsh. But I will say when friends/family visit OKC I never suggest that area for a place to stay/eat.

There are just so many better places now.

I-40 and Meridian seems to be thriving it's just not downtown or Memorial Road. Just to the west you have the millions of places off MacArthur and then the Outlet Shoppes.

[progressiveboy]

Probably gonna mow down those nice, mature Live Oaks in the courtyard, too, as I am sure the trucking company won't want to have them located right there. That makes me more sad than the loss of the building. Looks there are about 4-6, nice, tall Live Oaks in there.

That is sad. OKC needs all the trees it can get, especially Live Oaks! They keep their leaves in winter. While old leaves fall off, new ones sprout quickly so the tree is never barren. Nice foliage in the blah winter in Oklahoma. I love Live Oaks, a tree symbolic of the South!

[Bill Robertson]

I wouldn't call that area seedy.

This hotel has been bad for a while but there are way more hotel rooms now than ever before.

The restaurants have generally migrated to other, more populated areas. But there are still a bunch.

I agree the area isn't all that bad. But I did quit getting gas there because at least half the stops I was getting hit up by some panhandler.

[dhpersonal]

The MacArthur/Meridian/I-40 area does seem to be struggling, though. Reno in that area feels almost abandoned.

[Laramie]

I agree the area isn't all that bad. But I did quit getting gas there because at least half the stops I was getting hit up by some panhandler.

Had the same panhandler problem at one of the newest 7 Eleven on S.W. 3rd & MacArthur. The panhandlers aren't asking for much, so I make sure I have something to give to some of the most unfortunate people on the planet. Make sure I have some dollar bills, ones & fives to hand out. I don't always frequent the same gas stations, I use many besides 7 Eleven, like OnCue, Casey's and QuickStop.

Not so naive to believe that one definition fits the mold for all panhandlers, some of these people are our veterans--WHY HAVEN'T OUR GOVERNMENT TAKEN CARE OF OUR VETS. . . One guy told me it took him two years to get housing accommodations from the VA.

Would love to hear from some of our Vets who have been thru this process.

[mugofbeer]

I too, would be intetested in knowing what benefits vets can get. I guess l've become so jaded to the vastly larger homeless community in Denver, l simply won't/don't give cash to them. I simply don't want it going to buy booze or drugs.

[Bunty]

I too, would be intetested in knowing what benefits vets can get. I guess l've become so jaded to the vastly larger homeless community in Denver, l simply won't/don't give cash to them. I simply don't want it going to buy booze or drugs.

I guess their eligibility for unemployment checks and food stamps have run out. Being unemployed and running low on money in the bank would be plenty enough for me to do something, like find a job to help myself.

[Boop]

Its sort of sad to see that area of town become so 'seedy'. When I lived in western Oklahoma we would purposely head toward I-40 Meridian area to eat (Applewoods, etc) and spend the night. Now? I wouldn't frequent the area if my life depended on it.

Yeah you would if someone offers you a million dollars to do it