POUGHKEEPSIE – The Poughkeepsie Grand Hotel that stands next to the Nesheiwat Mid-Hudson Civic Center in downtown Poughkeepsie has been sold to Visions Hotels LLC, a Utica area hotel operator.
The closing on the property, formerly owned by a Bonura/DeBrizzi partnership, was held last Friday, said Sarah Lee, executive director of the Dutchess County Industrial Development Agency.
Minesh Patel, the new owner of the hotel, has big plans for the seven-story building with its 195 guest rooms and rooftop ceremony garden.
“We are going to do what I believe was done very well, continue with the banquets in a very strong manner, but enhance it with a flagged franchised hotel, which I believe the city, town, county, really could use and will really help attracting people that weren’t necessarily coming there or would be more apt to come there,” he said.
The IDA’s Sarah Lee said the new company will invest between $5 million and $7 million in upgrades before becoming a Doubletree by Hilton Hotel.
Joseph Bonura, Jr., a principal in the former ownership, did not return a call for comment.
The hotel also has banquet rooms and a bar on the first floor and is attached to a multi-story parking deck.
