© 1996 - 2019 Marriott International, Inc. All rights reserved.
Marriott proprietary information
published or discovered September 4, 2019
The dates with info listed in blue (ie:
1880s:) are from the Vinoy
Club and Vinoy
Club Historic Timeline
The info in gold is from
tampahistorical.org, by Raquelle Banuelos with research support
from The Marriot Hotels and Resorts.
This Website is used solely for my personal,
non-commercial use!
Vinoy Chronological Timeline
Historical Overview
It began with a bet. The rest, as they say, is history.
From the time it opened at the dawn of 1926 to its current incarnation
as one of St. Petersburg’s most spectacular waterfront resorts,
this timeless treasure still impresses with its lofty pedigree,
along with an ability to survive decades of neglect, winds of
change and painstaking renewal. For 85 years, "The Vinoy®
Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club" has been
- and always will be - a place to relax, play, indulge and savor
the good life.
Conception: The Beginning
In 1923, it all started with a party, a bet, and a game of
golf at the St. Petersburg Beach Drive home of Aymer Vinoy Laughner,
a wealthy Pennsylvania businessman. Famed golfer Walter Hagen
drove several golf balls off the face of his host’s prized
pocket watch. The wager: whether the watch’s crystal would
survive Hagen’s powerful drive. It did, and the golf balls
landed across Beach Drive on a residential waterfront property.
After party guests suggested he purchase the property and build
a grand resort under his name. Laughner acquired the land for
$170,000. Led by architect Henry L. Taylor and contractor George
A. Miller, construction for the "The Vinoy Park Hotel"
began on February 5, 1925. The contractor set a construction
record for completing the 375-room premier resort, (the first
of its kind on Florida’s west coast) in just under 10 months,
in time for a grand opening on New Year’s Eve 1925.
1880’s: The Vinoy’s bayside property
is purchased for $35.
1920’s & 1930’s:
The Golden Years
On New Year’s Eve 1925, The Vinoy’s first guests
paused outside the hotel’s imposing portals, admiring its
facade of intricately carved stone columns and elaborate frescos.
With a buzz of excitement, they stepped into the enormous lobby
that revealed a vaulted ceiling that soared 25 feet, huge hand-stenciled
pecky cypress ceiling beams and massive chandeliers suspended
by hand-tooled leather straps. Even the glazed tile floor gleamed
with hand-painted accents. The hotel was
constructed in Mediterranean Revival architectural style, with
seven stories and four canted wings. It’s most notable and
eye catching feature is it’s pink exterior, making it an
iconic addition to St. Petersburg history.
The ballroom where they rang in the New Year was just as impressive:
two stories high, 50 feet wide, and 125 feet long. It was a masterpiece
of Georgian-style symmetry, described as one of the largest and
most beautiful ballrooms in Florida. At $20 per room, the hotel’s
nightly rate on opening day was one of the most expensive in
the state.
The Vinoy opened just as the "Boom Era" in Florida
was ending. However, it attracted well-to-do Northerners who
were looking for a warm recreational destination in the winter.
It quickly became one of the country’s most prestigious
and coveted getaways for the world’s rich and famous families,
along with Hollywood stars, celebrities, presidents and authors.
Despite the "Great Depression" gripping the country,
the 1930’s still attracted wealthy Northerners to The Vinoy,
who arrived by train or car to experience the resort’s carefree
ambience, lavish pleasures and refined hospitality, while enjoying
the warm weather and its golf courses. Everything a guest could
want is provided, including a cigar booth, and a telephone and
cable office in the lobby’s shopping arcade. Celebrities,
presidents and the local elite continued to flock to the hotel
and solidified its position as the "grand dame" of
St. Petersburg, whose residents called upon the hotel to host
their most important social occasions. In 1932, candy entrepreneur
David L. Clark purchased the "Coffee Pot Golf Course"
on Snell Island for $156,000. This would later become the golf
course for The Vinoy.
1920: The "Coffeepot Golf Club"
is designed and built by J. Franklin Meehan, who worked
with renowned golf course architect, A.W. Tillinghast.
1923: Aymer Vinoy Laughner, accompanied by his friends, Gene
Elliott and golfing legend
Walter Hagen, conceives the idea for "The Vinoy Park Hotel".
1925: "The Vinoy Park Hotel" opens on December 31.
1927: A new 18-hole Snell Isle Golf Course is designed by Stiles
and Van Kleek.
1920’s-1930’s: Celebrities, presidents and the wealthy
flock to The Vinoy, and
St.
Petersburg’s residents depend upon it as an elegant venue
for
important social occasions.
1940’s: The War Era
As the country eased out of the "Great Depression"
and into the cold reality of the Second World War, The Vinoy
Park Hotel shifted to a more patriotic purpose. On July 3, 1942,
The Vinoy ceased operation as a hotel and was leased to the U.S.
Army Air Force and subsequently the "United States Maritime
Service" as a training center and housing for military cooks
and bakers. By the time the training center was closed, more
than 100,000 trainees had passed through the city of St. Petersburg.
After substantial repairs to the property were made in December
1944, The Vinoy reopened to the general public for the season.
A year later, the hotel opened for its 29th season under new
ownership when Chicago businessman Charles H. Alberding purchased
the hotel for $700,000. Weekly rates ranged from $112 to $224,
including meals.
1940’s: WWII army cooks and bakers
train at the resort, which later closes briefly for post-war
repairs.
1946: Mr. Laughner sells the Vinoy for $700,000.
1950’s & 1960’s:
The Decline
Post-war America coincided with the country’s great
highway expansion and the glory days of the automobile. Once
again, Florida was the go-to destination for winter sun-seekers
and The Vinoy welcomed them in much the same way as it had for
the past three decades - as an elegant oasis overlooking Tampa
Bay where guests could enjoy superb cuisine, incomparable service
and a genteel ambience. Even celebrities
such as Marilyn Monroe visited the hotel at this time.
However, the advent of air conditioning and The Vinoy’s
resistance to it, prompted guests to seek cooler environs elsewhere
and The Vinoy soon fell out of favor. By the late 1960’s,
the lack of regular maintenance took its toll on The Vinoy and
it stood as a sad relic of St. Petersburg’s golden past.
1950’s: During the post-war boom,
The Vinoy is a favored winter destination.
1970’s & 1980’s:
The Bottom
By the early 1970’s, The Vinoy had declined into a low-rent
boarding house, commanding $7 per night, far less than the extravagant
nightly rate of $20 in 1925. Finally, in 1974, the hotel closed
its doors for good. Much of the hotel’s effects - china,
silver and crystal among others - were sold at public auction.
In 1978, despite its dilapidated condition, the St. Petersburg
community petitioned to secure the landmark hotel’s place
on the "National Register of Historic Places". Yet,
throughout the 1980’s, the hotel remained empty and served
as a haven to homeless wanderers and SWAT teams who used it for
training.
In 1984, a voter referendum by the loyal citizens of St. Petersburg
saved The Vinoy from the wrecking ball. In December 1989, the
St. Petersburg-based "Federal Construction Company"
was awarded a $33.6 million contract to renovate and expand The
Vinoy.
1974: After several years of decline in
guest occupancy and maintenance, The Vinoy closes,
to sit empty for years and is left to vagrants and the elements.
1978: St. Petersburg citizens are instrumental in securing The
Vinoy’s place on the National
Register of Historic Places.
1980’s: St. Pete citizens and a voter referendum protect
The Vinoy from demolition.
1986: It was designated an historic
place in May.
1990’s: Rebirth
In May 1990, after sitting unoccupied for 18 years, the restoration
and reconstruction of The Vinoy began. For two years, architects,
interior designers and local historians took careful consideration
to preserve or recreate the historic landmark’s original
Mediterranean Revival design. The original pecky cypress beams,
which were originally installed because they were impervious
to pests, were removed, numbered, cleaned and replaced. The Pompeian
frescos that so lavishly adorned the main dining room underwent
meticulous restoration. The glazed quarry tile floor and the
ballroom’s ornate plaster castings were all restored to
its original grandeur, as well.
Ironically, as the painstaking restoration of this local treasure
unfolded, the hotel revealed a treasure of its own. Workers removing
an oddly placed wall between the ballroom and lobby discovered
a hidden vault containing 1,400 silver pieces, wrapped in newspapers
dated 1934, and most stamped "The Vinoy."
During the two-year, $93 million reconstruction of The Vinoy,
the hotel was also expanded and enhanced to appeal to the contemporary
traveler. In addition to the original pink palace, visitors would
now enjoy a new guest tower that added 102 rooms, each with its
own terrace, and some with their own spas. From the outside,
the facade of scalloped balconies overlooking the water, stands
in perfect symmetry with its older surroundings. They would also
enjoy a state-of-the-art tennis complex, 18-hole golf course
designed by Ron Garl, two heated outdoor swimming pools and three
spas, a fully equipped fitness center and 74-slip marina. And
of course, The Vinoy was now fully air-conditioned.
In 1992, The Vinoy reopened as a Stouffer Hotel and restored
its place as the epicenter of St. Petersburg’s waterfront
downtown. It was named by the "National Trust for Historic
Preservation" as one of the "Historic Hotels of America".
In 1993, Stouffer Hotels was acquired by the "Renaissance
Hotel Group" and the hotel was renamed "The Vinoy®
Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club".
1990: The Vinoy meets her savior, Frederick
Guest III, and the renovation begins in May.
1992: After a painstaking, two-year renovation, The Vinoy re-opens,
restored to its original
grandeur. The "National Trust for Historic Preservation",
names it one of the
"Historic Hotels of America".
The New Millennium
As the new millennium began, "The Vinoy® Renaissance
St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club" continued to incorporate
additional innovations and improvements. A $3.5 million renovation
in 2008 included the complete makeover of the two signature Presidential
Suites, the Plaza Ballroom, and meeting rooms. The Vinoy’s
"Lobby Promenade Lounge" was reconfigured with a new
bar and expanded cocktail seating. The entrance to "Marchands
Bar & Grill", The Vinoy’s signature restaurant,
was redesigned to showcase the popular "Vinoy Bar"
with the addition of private dining options.
The Vinoy continues to expand upon its legacy of comfort and
elegance. Just as in years past, guests can enjoy luxurious amenities
designed to pamper and restore within stunning surroundings and
a chance to experience unique moments for a lifetime of memories.
Today it’s the resort-of-choice for many of the major league
baseball teams when they come to town to play the "Tampa
Bay Rays".
2000: The Vinoy celebrates its 75th birthday,
more opulent than ever, and the stunning
"Palm Court Ballroom" is added.
2009: The Vinoy undergoes a multi-million-dollar renovation,
including adding a Chihuly
chandelier in the Grand Ballroom.
2010: The Legendary Vinoy® Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort
& Golf Club celebrates 85
years.
2011: The lobby and veranda are transformed, creating a lively
waterfront vibe.
2012: The Vinoy® Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf
Club was named Hotel of the
Year.
2015: The legendary Vinoy® Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort
& Golf Club celebrates
90 years.
2016: Renovations begin to make "The Vinoy Club" more
incredible than ever before.
Welcoming the Rich & Famous
From the moment it opened in 1925, The Vinoy attracted the
rich and powerful. The grandest of all the 1920’s Boom Era
hotels, The Vinoy became one of the country’s most prestigious
destinations, a coveted getaway for notable families, such as
the Pillsburys and Fleischmanns, along with Hollywood stars,
celebrities, presidents, and authors. Jimmy Stewart, Babe Ruth,
Admiral Richard Byrd, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover were
all known to grace the "Vinoy Veranda" at one time
or another.
In the 1950’s and 1960’s, Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio
visited the hotel. More recently, celebrities who have enjoyed
the resort’s hospitality include the late Paul Newman and
Eartha Kitt, Raquel Welch, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt, Jay Leno,
George Clooney, Bo Derek, Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, Tom
Petty, Wolfgang Puck, Joe Namath, Melissa Etheridge, Tiger Woods,
B.B. King, Dionne Warwick, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Olivia Newton
John, and Harrison Ford.
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