MARSHFIELD, Wisc.
According to a report from the Marshfield News-Herald, Clearwaters Hotel and Convention Center's overnight guests awoke Friday morning to an unpleasant surprise: The hotel was closing, and they effectively were being booted from their rooms.
At least one Clearwaters’ guest booked a room with Marshfield's Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center for Friday night, after a note from Clearwaters management was slipped under the guest's door announcing the hotel was shutting down at 10 a.m. Friday, said Steve Luchik, Holiday Inn general manager.
By 11 a.m. Friday, the doors of the financially troubled Clearwaters Hotel, at 2700 S. Central Ave., were locked, and all the window shades were drawn.
Signs posted on the doors said Clearwaters was "closed until further notice."
Co-owner Fred Scherle of Panora, Iowa, did not return a phone message seeking comment by press time Friday. The hotel's phone rang unanswered. Several people standing outside the hotel entrance Friday morning identified themselves as hotel employees but declined to comment.
Three Marshfield Police Department squad cars responded at about 11 a.m. to a report of looting at Clearwaters, which proved unfounded because it was employees removing their personal property, Lt. Darren Larson said.
Marshfield Mayor Chris Meyer said he is confident the hotel "won't stay closed forever." He said the city will continue to work with hotel owners to "expedite any transfer of ownership" in order to get the hotel running again.
"We certainly want to see a successful hotel operating out of that building," Meyer said.
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Courtesy of the Marshfield News-Herald
