Demolition 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.
Repost from okctalk.
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