Mattresses delivered to President Abraham Lincoln Hotel

State Journal-Register, Springfield, IL

Published Wednesday, July 30, 2008

A first shipment of new mattresses and box springs were delivered to the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel & Conference Center Wednesday, as the state treasurer’s office prepares the building for auction later this year.

Photographs by Shannon Kirshner/The State Journal-Register Mildred Griffin, above, a housekeeper at the President Abraham Lincoln Hotel & Conference Center, puts linens on one of the 400 new mattresses that will be placed through the end of August. The state treasurer’s office is making improvements at the hotel to prepare the building for auction later this year.

The new bedding, which will continue to be delivered weekly through the end of August, is among $270,000 in improvements planned before the state puts the hotel on the market, Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias’ office said in a news release.

Each of the hotel’s 316 rooms should have new mattresses, box springs and pillows before Sept. 1.

Giannoulias installed a new management team at the hotel, 701 E. Adams St., last year.

“After we took title to the hotel and read the customer feedback cards, the aging mattresses were always the No. 1 complaint,” Giannoulias said in the release. “We believe the investment in new bedding will help the purchase price of the hotel in the next several months.”

The used bedding will be donated to local charities, including the Springfield Salvation Army and Central Illinois Christians in Mission in Decatur.

The Salvation Army plans to sell the bedding in its stores.

The state took possession of the hotel after the former owners fell far behind in repaying their state-backed loan. Giannoulias’ statement said his office plans to sell the hotel to recoup what it can for Illinois taxpayers.