Monday afternoon update:
Another sign that Hotel Royer could be opening soon: a liquor license application for the business will be added to tonight’s Committee of the Whole agenda, said Mayor Diane Marlin.
If the City Council decides to move it forward, the item would then be on the agenda at next week’s regular meeting for a vote of approval.
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URBANA — While an official opening date for the long-awaited Hotel Royer has yet to be announced, there is some indication that the business may be close to making its debut.
The hotel, located at 210 S. Race St., has announced that it will hold a hiring event Saturday afternoon. For those who are unable to attend, interviews will be held on-site from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.
“As we prepare to open the doors of Hotel Royer, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton, we are seeking dedicated professionals to help write the next chapter of this landmark’s storied past,” the business shared on social media. “Join us for our Hiring Event and step into a career where timeless hospitality meets modern excellence.”
While the Facebook event listing shows the time for the hiring event as 1 to 5 p.m., the description states that it will take place from noon to 4 p.m. in the grand ballroom.
Hotel Royer is hiring for all departments, including the front desk, housekeeping, food and beverage, banquets and culinary services.
The announcement comes three months after the development missed the Urbana City Council’s latest occupancy deadline of Dec. 31, 2024.
The council had previously agreed to extend the date from Dec. 31, 2022, to Aug. 31, 2023, then Feb. 29, 2024. When aldermen voted in February 2024 to extend the deadline a third time to Dec. 31, 2024, they also amended the agreement to include a penalty.
For every quarter the project extends past that date, $150,000 is subtracted from the city’s $5.5 million incentive for the project.
The amendment states that the penalty is levied for “any portion of each three-month period” beyond the Dec. 31, 2024, deadline “that the project occupancy date occurs.”
This means that, as of Jan. 1, the maximum reimbursement amount was $5.35 million, Mayor Diane Marlin said in a previous interview. As of April 1, it is now $5.2 million.
Hotel Royer’s website currently states that it is accepting reservations “for May 31, 2025, and beyond.”
Haaris Pervaiz, a partner with Icon Hospitality, said in a previous interview that Hilton’s practice is to make the first available booking date later than the anticipated opening to avoid issues if the opening date is pushed back.
Pervaiz could not be reached for comment for this article.
