Graceland, the third most visited home in the U.S. behind the Whitehouse and Biltmore, said upgrading the experience for visitors with a new more modern hotel would generate jobs and boost the economy of Whitehaven.
“We are really excited to get going on this project. Piece by piece it’s taken a lot of organization and ecetera,” said Jack Soden, Elvis Presley Enterprises.
EDGE, the Economic Development Growth Engine, said it approved issuing Graceland $84 million in bonds to help pay for a new hotel. Financing would also come from a tourist development zone set up by city and county and from a tourist surcharge. “The money really comes from a private financial institution which will buy those bonds and therefore inject the money into the project,” said Reid Dulberger, EDGE Pres/CEO.
Even if the project failed the lawyer for Elvis Presley Enterprises told EDGE, taxpayers won’t be responsible for repaying bonds. “There’s not going to be a check written by the city or county to pay the debt so it is merely being paid from incentive revenues, from the revenues created by the hotel:13 and from Guarantees of the owners of the hotel,” said Attorney James McLaren, Elvis Presley Enterprises.
With its 450 rooms, 500 seat theater and two restaurants, the Graceland hotel will be the third largest in the city behind the Peabody and Convention Center Sheraton. In addition, 500 jobs were promised in and around the hotel.
“It’s going to be exactly where we want it in Whitehaven at Graceland where our visitors from all over the world will come and stay longer and spend more of their money and time in Whitehaven,” said Soden. One of the questions board members asked is how much will these jobs pay and who would get them. A representative for EP Enterprises said the average salary would be about $11 an hour and most of its employees traditionally come from the Whitehaven neighborhood.
Elvis Still Has It - Out Now!
Tracks: 01. 2001 Theme 02.See See Rider 03.Proud Mary 04.Until It’s Time For You To Go 05.You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me 06.You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling 07.Polk Salad Annie 08.What Now My Love 09.Fever 10.Love Me 11.Blue Suede Shoes 12.One Night 13.Little Sister/Get Back 14.Heartbreak Hotel 15.Hound Dog 16.For The Good Times 17.Suspicious Minds 18.Introductions 19.My Way 20.A Big Hunk O’ Love 21.An American Trilogy 22.Can’t Help Falling In Love 23. Closing Vamp
Charts
The "Heart And Soul" compilation drops from #17 to #22 on the Billboard Country Catalog Album Chart for the week ending May 30, 2015.
The "He Touched Me: The Gospel Music Of Elvis Presley: Volumes 1 & 2" dropped off the Billboard Music Video Chart after re-entering lat week.
The DVD "Elvis – The King Of Rock’n’Roll – 30 Hit Performances And More" fell off the Australian Music DVD chart after re-entering the chart one week earlier at #30.
(Source: WREG / FECC / Brian Quinn / The King's World)