ST. LOUIS — It's now known as the vacant Millennium Hotel near the Arch on the Riverfront.
But in June of 1968, it was called the Stouffer's Riverfront Inn and construction crews were just topping it off.
Touted as an exciting new convention hotel, it would open April 6, 1969, with a sold-out, invitation-only party to celebrate.
Business back then was good.
“We have approximately $2 million booked in banquets and conventions alone for this next year,” one of the hotel’s managers told 5 On Your Side.
The star attraction of the 486-room hotel: the revolving restaurant on the top of Tower One.
One complete revolution was made in an hour.
Our reporter asked, “Just in practical matters with a restaurant that revolves like this, how does a waitress for instance, find the same table that that she's worked on if she leaves for a few minutes and her table has moved?”
The hotel spokesman answered, “They had some difficulty in getting used to the pace and the location of stations and so on, but within a day's time, they've kind of adapted to the situation and there's no problem at all.”
Over the years, it would also be known as the Regal Riverfront and the Clarion Hotel.
Most recently, it was known as the Millenium Hotel.
It's been sitting empty since 2014.
A real estate firm said last month it is handling the sale of the vacant Millennium Hotel in downtown St. Louis.
The move follows the city of St. Louis taking steps toward authorizing eminent domain at the property, but last month tabling an initial move that would be required.
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