Hope remains for old Ramada Inn

SPANISH FORT, Ala. (WALA) - The City of Spanish Fort is hopeful owners of a major eyesore are able to clean it up.

The old Ramada Inn Hotel on the causeway needs some attention. Officials said the pink building is in good shape but needs someone with deep pockets to develop the ten acre site.

Shattered windows, tall grass and graffiti mar the landscape of the former hotel. Hurricane Ivan tore through the building seven years ago and it's been in poor condition since.

The City of Spanish Fort said it’s supposed to be fenced off, but it is not. Three padlocks were no match for the trespasser who wanted inside, and a mangled mess of fence is strewn across the eastern section of the building.

The vacant pink building is an eyesore for many, and many wonder why it's still there. Spanish Fort leaders said it’s served a purpose until recently.

"Until recently, it was a cell tower and couldn't be removed because it had two different carriers on the roof who had contract to be there. But now that the cell tower has been built nearby, that condition has been removed," said Bruce Renkert with the City of Spanish Fort.

Renkert said the city is trying to be patient with the owner and work with developers, but the economy has put a snag in the plans. He said they all share a common goal to get the land cleaned up and developed.

However, the building must be brought completely up to modern code standards, and that is expensive.

"There's a lot of people interested, but it will be expensive to get the project going. I don't think the city is any position to force them to do something. We know they want to develop, and they want to develop the land. [They're] just waiting for someone to come along, and it is difficult in this economy," said Renkert.

Renkert said he's hopeful the economy will turn around, and this ten acres of land will once again be prime real estate - possibly another hotel or music venue.

However, if the building is torn down, developers would not be able to build anything that tall again in its place because of current height restrictions.