"More Unfortunate News About the Lancaster Host" Topic

This cannot be good…..
link

Nothing like timing out on a post, refreshing and not seeing a post. So I submitted again…….Bill can you delete one of these?

Ooppss….

The Host is Toast?!?

Nooooooooooo!

No that assertion is "all wet"… They've expanded the swimming pool is all!

Sounds like the finale of "Towering Inferno".

Running showers in every room now, AND in the gaming areas.

I hope our crack convention committee has taken notice.

Agreed that it is not good news. However, it is health and safety code regulations that forces a structure to be "condemned" if water/sewer utilities are shut-off.

The fact that they allowed the guests to return and pick-up their belongings leads me to think it may be a utility shut-off issue rather than a structural issue.

As an example, if a homeowner does not pay their water/sewer bill, that service is shut-off. The structure is immediately condemned. There does not have to be structural damage for the building to be condemned. It would be condemned simply because of the health issue of no functioning water and sewer service.

Obviously, there is damage stated in the article but it does say that the building is being evaluated for safety. Even if it is found that the damage is not a safety issue, the building may not be occupied until the utility service is restored. Most local codes allow for entry into the structure for repairs during daylight hours, usually 7am to 7pm. However, overnite stay would be prohibited.

So the next theme is naval?
That would also be one way to insure all gamers were bathing.

Not the best of news – imagine if that happened during fall-in – oh the thousands of drowned miniatures!

It will give us a chance to see the new owners in action – if the issue is resolved then that will be a positive sign

As a precaution everyone should pack their speedos for Fall-In

As if there wasn't already an overabundance of mold in that place.

So now the owner gets a major clean-up and remodeling on his insurance company's dime.

So now the owner gets a major clean-up and remodeling on his insurance company's dime.

Who's got it better than them :)

Reading the comments of dancers and scrapbookes was similer to what get's posted on TMP. The events keep getting rebooked.

Still boggle my mind that anyone would put millions of dollars into that money pit.

I'll believe it when I see it.

This may be the opportunity to tear it down and collect the insurance money. That is what I bet happens.

Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

Yes

Oh dear – not good at all!

I stayed at the "Red Roof Inn" my last Cold Wars and walked over to the Host for the Con. It was a cold Saturday morning. At the main desk I handed my coat to a young lady and asked if she could take care of it.

Later that evening as I went to retrieve my coat I found it wrapped in plastic with a $24 USD tag attached. It had been dry cleaned.

Funny as I think back. At one time the Host was a first rate place. Sad it has declined so.

So the next theme is naval?
That would also be one way to insure all gamers were bathing.

Best line of the week!

It had been dry cleaned.

Best story of the week. To be fair, the young lady did "take care" of your coat.

I fail to see how this really effects our shows? All the article says is "unfit for human occupancy"??

Regards
Russ Dunaway

Touche, Brother Dunaway!

It was unfit for Human Occupancy the last time I went there for Cold Wars and that was about 15 years ago. If they don't force them to tear down that crap hole would be amazed. Then again I would not, the code inspectors have let the place run in that condition for a long time.

At least none of the 2,000 dance contest attendees were hurt.

YouTube link

"The 160-acre property, built in 1966, is owned by Hospitality Associates of Lancaster, a limited partnership affiliate of Baltimore-based Milestone Cos."

So does this mean the sale didn't go through, as haven't they been the owner all along? No mention of a "new" owner in the article.

How will this affect Hall Pig?

I bet bldg is gone by Sept? :(

SFC Retired….

We could do the water fall scene from" Last of the Mochicans".

Historygamer: as a local, I can tell you that Lancaster newspaper is not known for their well researched crack reporting. They probably just don't know because they didn't bother to check since the auction.

Or,if the dancers are there, "By a Waterfall" from Footlight Parade:

youtu.be/csG6MBYsmOU

I don't see it as recoverable, but then again, I'm not there looking at the damage. link

My opinion (outlined above) is that this the final, no kidding message from God, that the Host has ceased to be any kind of option. We are not leaving without some degree of affection and pathos. I think the structure has served us reasonably well over the years, but I can't see them making a recovery from this without spending a lot of money that isn't there.

Walt

I'll miss the old dump.
At least I knew how to get there.

"Old Dump"

As apt a description as any. Face it, people, it's just a BUILDING. A roof with 4 walls. That are barely standing, given the lack of maintenance. The cons can move and no one will (or should) shed a tear for the "old dump".

As for the owners getting a big insurance pay out: I wouldn't count on that. If the cause can be traced to willful deferred maintenance, then the insurance company may well say "so sad, too bad".

I wonder if the people attending the convention ruined by this will be reimbursed by the Host's insurance?

Bob and Cleo Liebl, editors of the HMGS Newsletter went down there today in the role of investigative reports. Saw all the big-time suits milling around giving directions and assessing the situation. Bob and Cleo are known to the staff as "The Cookie Man" from him taking care of them with a few tins of his cookies through the years and his kind friendly attitude. They were immediately recognized by the girl at the desk, who leaned over and said "I will tell you whatever you want to know." The report from them is simple. The owners are unfazed, and are simply going to fix the damage in the next week and shift the section of the hotel they were going to recondition to the one damaged in the water main break.

That's the latest report. The rest of you who know nothing can now continue.

"Icebergs? Icebergs? Full steam ahead!"

Otto
thanks got a similar report from Bob and Cleo as we are trying to put together a newsletter and I have a draft article that I keep having to update. I was going to draft some kind of formal statement but you covered it.

I've heard and read all kinds of stories. One local tv media program reported that the roof collapsed. There has been lots of rumors, stories and mongering by all sorts of people that have no knowledge or authority to speak on the subject. But then again this is the 2016 internet.

The owners are unfazed

I don't think they'd be fazed if Satan himself rose up and consumed the entire place in unholy fire. Of course, they'd probably just advertise it as mold removal.

In all seriousness, I don't know why they are going to renovate small sections. The entire power plant, water mains, boilers, and electrical wiring needs replacement at this point. Its not going to get rid of the underlying problems.

Remember the Lancaster!!!!

(insert appropriate flag)

Now just need a game of The Fall of the Lancaster with various scale figures of typical "wagamer" type persons .

Could be a dungeon crawl game???

I did have a very good chuckle when reading the news article where it stated, " . . . it took the Lancaster FD several hours to get the water in the affected area turned off."

Now what exactly was meant by "several hours" is undefined in the article, but knowing the pressure in a standard sized water main in such a facility, that could mean a lot of water went where it wasn't suppose to go, and some of it went places they don't even know about yet!

Also, noted the article stated at least one of the conference rooms received water damage, but didn't mention which one, or the type of damage!

Judging from a couple of the comments above the BOD intends to sit on their hands for the next six months and hope for the best. Well, that's fine for them, but I'm glad I didn't vote for any incumbents in this upcoming election! I will be cancelling my reservation and my plans for attending Fall In. It's not worth the trip!

Can't wait for the next crack reporting on the "Large Fire in the Host Lobby" turns out to be staff lighting Sternos under the burrito bar.

I've seen larger pools of water on the floor of the Men's bathroom outside the Distelfink.

After The Weekend, I'll be reserving my rooms for Fall-In as usual… at The Continental.

Here is video footage , looks to be the hallway behind the front desk near the arcade:

link

I read about the water main problem on facebook. Sigh!

Al-
"Here is video footage , looks to be the hallway behind the front desk near the arcade"

Thanks for the video. Oh the horror! It is hard to imagine that anyone survived. I made myself some spaghetti the other night and spilled more water than that on my sink counter.

Stuff like this happens on a regular basis. No one is going to tear down a building over it, nor is an insurance company going to write the place off as a loss -- they don't like to total out cars, so they certainly aren't going to do it to a building unless there is no other option. You bring in the water-sucker-up guys, big fans and air blowers, movers, dry wallers and painters, etc. and they get the job done.

Except that it sinks into the carpet etc.
The ceiling tiles and carpet and quite a few more furnishings will have to be replaced. Just letting them "dry out" in the heat and humidity of Lancaster will just result in even more mold.
This IS major.
No offense to Bob and Cleo, but I would not be inclined to take as gospel what "the girl behind the desk" whispered to them. In fact, such a report probably puts the girl's job in jeopardy.