History
The Fontenelle was opened in 1915. Costing $1,000,000 to build, the building was designed by Kimball for the Douglas Hotel Company and its president, Gurdon W. Wattles. Originally fifteen stories, it was later expanded to 18, with a main entrance on Douglas Street. The building had 350 guest rooms decorated in an English style, with marble floors, mahogany paneling and richly decorated lobbies, dining rooms and hallways throughout. The main banquet room featured five crystal chandeliers, lighting seating for as many as 500 guests.
It was operated by the Douglas Hotel Company until 1920, after which it was acquired by Eppley. The center of Omaha society, the hotel was the site of numerous civic events, weddings and conventions. These included the founding of the Girl Scout movement in Omaha. a national women's bowling tournament, and lectures by Willa Cather and other nationally known authors.
Its restaurants included the Bombay Room, Black Mirror Room and King Cole Room. The hotel's sale in 1956 as part of the Eppley chain to the Sheraton Corporation was part of the second largest hotel sale in United States history. After the acquisition by Sheraton the Fontenelle continued to be a popular destination for social events. The hotel was headquarters for Senator Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 Democratic Nebraska primary campaign. However, as the city grew westward, the hotel faded in popularity and was closed in 1970. Over the next thirteen years, the hotel stood empty while a variety of proposals for renovating it were proposed. It was demolished in 1983.
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