Written by By Desert Sun Editorial Board, Courtesy of the Desert Sun
A large hotel is the linchpin to the revitalization of downtown Palm Springs.
Yet, the city’s Architectural Advisory Committee and now the Planning Commission are taking shots at the proposed Hotel Palomar. That’s their prerogative, and we respect all those who serve on city panels. But the city would be foolhardy to blow the deal with Kimpton Hotels, a first-class chain with more than 50 luxury hotels around the world.
A 2006 study commissioned by the Palm Springs Convention Center & Bureau of Tourism found the city needs 1,000 more rooms to attract major conventions. The Aviation Summit held in Palm Springs last month provided a perfect example. The convention needed 1,600 rooms. The tourism bureau worked with 11 hotels, some as far 3 miles away, and coordinated four shuttle routes to help visitors get around.
More rooms within walking distance of the convention center will enhance its appeal.
Members of the advisory committee said the hotel was too tall and too big. Developer John Wessman originally proposed 165 rooms for the Hotel Palomar, but Kimpton asked to increase the number to at least 185 to ensure profitability. The plan is to add the extra rooms to a retail building planned next door with a glass-enclosed walkway.
How tall is too tall? Nearby Hyatt Regency Suites is 65 feet tall and has 197 rooms. Hotel Palomar is proposed at 70 feet, not counting a 19-foot elevator tower. The Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage is 120 feet tall with 565 rooms. The Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa is 330 feet tall with 310 rooms.
Mount San Jacinto looms above Palm Springs at 10,834 feet. Naturalist John Muir wrote of San Jacinto Peak, “The view from San Jacinto is the most sublime spectacle to be found anywhere on this earth!” The view from the proposed rooftop bar and pool will be spectacular, too.
Debating the height of the hotel is certainly appropriate and healthy. The commissioners have a right — indeed, an obligation — to challenge developers. These decisions will chart the future of Palm Springs for decades and the city cannot afford to repeat the mistakes made with the creation of Desert Fashion Plaza.
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