By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
Nothing has been knocked down yet at the vacant hotel on 10th Street in Great Bend, but anticipation is building.
For more than six years, the Great Bend Hotel & Convention Center, or old Highland Hotel, has been closed. The deteriorating hotel has been considered an eyesore by some and disappoints some city officials hoping to have an operational hotel next to the Events Center for large conferences and conventions.
Great Bend Economic Development Director Sara Arnberger told the Great Bend City Council that demolition of the building is still in the works.
"Our demolition team has gone inside and has done the initial demo appraisal," said Arnberger. "They're determining what they need to salvage or not salvage, but they have not started swinging hammers yet. We can't wait."
Great Bend Economic Development purchased the vacant hotel in August 2022 and announced the demolition of the building would be complete by the end of October 2023. Stone Sand Company is in charge of demolishing the 60,000-square-foot structure.
Economic Development is hopeful for new owners to build a new hotel in its place.