No decision made yet for Holiday Inn property in downtown Athens; UGA using as parking

The site for the former Holiday Inn in downtown Athens remains in an undetermined status as its owners continue to look for the best option for the property, an official said this week.

“We haven’t sold it or changed ownerships. We’re still evaluating,” said Grant Tribble, president of Benson’s Inc.

The site is prime real estate in the downtown area, fronting Broad Street and running along South Lumpkin and South Hull streets.

Previously: 'No final decisions': Owners of closed Holiday Inn in Athens weighing future of the site

Recently the University of Georgia asked and gained permission to use some of the property for parking, Tribble said.

UGA is “about to add some spots to the Hill Street deck that Terry College has and they needed some parking for a couple of months,” Tribble said.

The hotel, which existed in Athens for 50 years, has been demolished; a victim of post-pandemic economics, said owners.

Tribble had explained earlier this year that the hotel was closed in 2020 during the pandemic and remained closed as demand never returned to normal.

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Bensons Inc. also owns Spring Hill Suites, Holiday Inn Express and Hilton Garden Inn, all in or near downtown.

Tribble also said that temporary fences earlier this year were installed on the site to accommodate football parking.

“I get calls every day,” Tribble said about people inquiring about the site or asking about buildings rumored to be planned there."

This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: Downtown Athens Holiday Inn site still under evaluation by owners