The Amarillo City Council voted Tuesday to approve an agreement to restore the historic Herring Hotel, a nearly 100-year-old building that has been vacant for nearly 50 years. The vote on the Chapter 380 Economic Development Program Agreement passed 4-0, with Councilmember Tim Reid (Place 1) abstaining.
The agreement provides financial incentives to support the hotel’s redevelopment, including rebates on taxes collected once the hotel is operational. Specifically, the city will rebate 100% of the local Hotel Occupancy Tax for the first five years, followed by 50% for the next five years. In addition, the agreement includes rebates of 100% of the State’s Sales Tax and the State Hotel Occupancy Tax revenues for 10 years.
The Herring Hotel project was presented to the council in a previous meeting by Todd Harmon of Herring Hotel Partners and John Campo of Campo Architecture. The plan calls for a four-and-a-half-star boutique hotel with 226 guest rooms, two restaurants, a pool deck, and a rooftop bar with views of downtown Amarillo.
A notable feature of the redevelopment is the restoration of the Tascosa Room, which was historically a popular gathering space in the hotel’s early years.
The project is estimated to cost around $100 million. Developers have said they hope to begin construction in the coming months and aim to reopen the hotel within two years.
The Herring Hotel, built in the 1920s, has been vacant for decades, making this redevelopment a significant investment in downtown Amarillo.
With the agreement approved, city officials and developers now have the framework to move forward with permitting, financing, and construction. If completed as planned, the restored Herring Hotel is expected to become a centerpiece of downtown Amarillo’s revitalization.
.jpg)
