“The vast majority of visiting guests stay in Wright-Patterson AFB lodging,” base officials said.
The hotel is the only contractor-owned and operated hotel within an Air Force base in the country, said Gary Strasburg, an Air Force spokesman at the Pentagon.
David Meyers, president of Visicon, said the loss of some of that overflow business has caused the hotel’s occupancy rate to fall and created the financial problems that prompted Visicon to file for bankruptcy reorganization June 8. The hotel will continue normal operations and meet all of its commitments while operating under the bankruptcy court’s supervision, Meyers said.
Military individuals coming to Wright-Patterson from elsewhere may opt to make their own lodging reservations through the Defense Travel System rather than Wright-Patterson’s reservation system, said Jerry Stanfill, director of the 88th Force Support Squadron at Wright-Patterson.
“If those travelers decide to stay off-base, there is no opportunity for the on-base lodging office to refer them to the Hope Hotel,” Stanfill said.
Meyers said his company’s lease was signed by Air Force senior leadership at the Pentagon and therefore applies to the entire Air Force, not just Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
“All the other bases are bound by the contract, not just Wright-Patt,” said Meyers, a former Dayton-area resident who lives in Naples, Fla.
He said he was a partner in the original deal with the Air Force and wants to continue operating the hotel under the 40-year lease, which expires in 2028. The 264-room hotel also includes 32,000 square feet of space in its restaurant and conference center.
Meyers said he continues to talk with Air Force officials, but filed the bankruptcy petition to protect the hotel after its occupancy rate fell to 40 percent last year from the typical 70 percent range.
Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2242 or jnolan@DaytonDailyNews.com.
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