The Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells was slowly limping toward a sad end when Fort Worth Weekly last visited in 2003. The dilapidated hotel hadn’t seen a sleepover guest in decades but opened its doors occasionally for ghost hunters who considered it a hotspot for paranormal activity (“A Ghostly Grand Dame,” Jan. 30, 2003).
For years the hotel has been in limbo — too expensive to refurbish, too expensive to tear down.
The hotel that once catered to Hollywood luminaries and politicians such as Marlene Dietrich and John F. Kennedy had become an albatross.
Potential developers were constantly circling around and pitching ideas, but lacked enough capital to make their projects happen.
It’s similar to the situation with the Isis Theatre in the Stockyards. Ten or 15 years ago I used to get excited every time a developer would tell me about their plans for reopening the Isis. But the plans always fell through. The Isis is still shuttered.
The Star-Telegram tells us today that a Southlake investment group is close to making something happen at the Baker Hotel. It all sounds good on paper, but a Vegas bookie would give poor odds of this renovation occurring.
Still, I’ll keep my fingers crossed. The Baker Hotel is a wonderful piece of historic architecture in North Texas.
I would suggest you go to Tueday night’s city council meeting in Mineral Wells and find out: http://www.mineralwellsindex.com/topstory/x1783673803/Meet-the-Baker-s-half-dozen
Kevin Pruitt