Petersburg, Va (Newsradiowrva.com) - Demolition began today on the former Ramada Inn in Petersburg. The long-abandoned building is visible from Interstate 95, and Peterburg residents have expressed considerable dissatisfaction with the hotel's remains being the first thing visitors see of the city. Mayor Sam Parham celebrated the demolition, calling this a step forward for the city.
State Senator Joseph Morrissey (D) and Delegate Kim Taylor (R) also expressed their excitement for the structure's removal before giving Parham a ceremonial check for 2.6 million dollars to cover the demolition. According to Morrissey, the hotel will be taken down piece by piece over the next four months, promising that by Christmas-time it will be converted completely into a green space.
This demolition is part of Govornor Youngkin's new "Partnership for Petersburg" program, which began today. Afterwards, Parham expressed his desire for the space to become a "four or five star hotel," and suggested that the development would ideally be connected to a casino he hopes to see come to Petersburg soon.
