March 12, 2022 – IN REGIONAL NEWS: The So-called “Ghost Hotel” Developers Have Big Plans for the Shell Standing in the North End of Imperial
By MARCIE LANDEROS

IMPERIAL — What has become known as the infamous “Ghost Hotel” took a next step toward full resurrection in the form of its second groundbreaking ceremony, this one coming a decade later with developer Gafcon Inc.

On Friday, March 11, the city of Imperial, San Diego-based Gafcon, Cambria Hotels and the Imperial Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce held the ceremony in front of the hotel that sits just north of Neckel Road off Highway 86, then a tour was conducted of parts of the first floor of the building, ending at Pioneers’ Museum for a luncheon and keynote address.

The hotel was in remarkable shape despite its years without care, experiencing almost no vandalism or destruction, much to the surprise many of the attendees. One notable exception was District 3 Imperial County Supervisor Michael Kelley, who had a theory on why the hotel has been largely left alone during his speech at ceremony.

“I think it was because the name of the hotel, the ‘Ghost Hotel.’ I can just see the vandals now. ‘Okay, hell no, I ain’t going to do that, that place is haunted,’ but little did they know, we were gonna get California Ghostbusters to show up,” Kelley said of Gafcon, drawing a laugh from the crowd.

Gafcon plans to build a four-story, full-service hotel on the project’s 22.52 acres, bringing in the chain Cambria Hotels to serve as the brand name. The hotel will have 108 rooms, with an indoor pool, event rooms, and a restaurant with a lounge area, costing Gafcon an estimated $15.5 million, according to the developer. Read More
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