USA: MILLENNIUM HILTON HOTEL RE-OPENS JUST YARDS AWAY FROM GROUND ZERO IN NEW YORK.
Record ID:
648740
USA: MILLENNIUM HILTON HOTEL RE-OPENS JUST YARDS AWAY FROM GROUND ZERO IN NEW YORK.
- Title: USA: MILLENNIUM HILTON HOTEL RE-OPENS JUST YARDS AWAY FROM GROUND ZERO IN NEW YORK.
- Date: 6th May 2003
- Summary: (U7) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MAY 5, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. STAFF AND NEW YORK STATE GOVERNOR GEORGE PATAKI, APPLAUDING OUTSIDE MILLENNIUM HILTON HOTEL 2. STAFF NODDING HEADS AND SMILING 3. PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE HOTEL 4. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, MAYOR NEW YORK CITY, SAYING: "This hotel is just a symbol of what's in store for New York City, for New York State and for this country and I hope for the world down the road." 5. STAFF CHEERING 6. (SOUNDBITE) (English) ERMINA WHITE, HOUSEKEEPER, SAYING: "I wasn't getting any employment anywhere so I just decided to wait, because I knew we would be coming back (REPORTER ASKS HOW IT FEELS) "Great." 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIANA BURKE, CLEANER, SAYING: "It is great to be among my family and my friends over here, but when I look across and I see that the World Trade Center is no longer there I am a bit sad because I loose a lot of friends in that building." 8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARCUS SANSARICIQ, LAUNDRY WORKER, SAYING: "I get to see alot of old faces, that we kinda lost touch during the 18 months that we've been away, so it's just great to see everybody back." (U7) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 11, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 9. VARIOUS WORLD TRADE CENTER TOWERS FALLING (U7) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 12, 2001) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 10. VARIOUS RUBBLE AT GROUND ZERO (U7) NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MAY 5, 2003) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. MILLENNIUM HILTON HOTEL 12. GROUND ZERO SEEN FROM HOTEL BEDROOM 13. ROGER SWADISH, AREA VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS FOR HILTON HOTELS, WALKING INTO ROOM 14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SWADISH SAYING: "The demand for the rooms that overlook the World Trade Center site are absolutely huge, nearly 85-90 per cent of our guests that call in for reservations have asked for rooms overlooking the renovation, rebuilding site, most of them for spiritual reasons or that other reason - to be part of history." 15. FRONT DESK CLERKS WORKING 16. DRINKS AND FOOD BEING HANDED OUT TO GUESTS IN LOBBY Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 21st May 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA5JG1FKO55ZOAY4VX0AISKROAG
- Story Text: Smiles, cheers and a few tears welcomed the official
re-opening of the Millennium Hilton hotel, just yards from
Ground Zero in New York. This is the first week staff have
been back at the hotel since it was forced to closed after the
September 11 attacks.
For twenty months the doors to the Millennium Hilton
hotel were closed to guests and staff alike.
Structural and environmental damage caused by the collapse of the
Twin Towers on September 11 2001 forced managers to completely gut
and refurbish the skyscraper hotel in the heart of Lower Manhattan.
Monday (May 5) saw the official re-opening of the hotel
which stands across the street from Ground Zero.
Staff were reunited and amid cheers, and some tears, New York City
Mayor Michael Bloomberg told them, "this hotel is just a symbol of
what's in store for New York City, for New York State and for
this country and I hope for the world down the road."
Ninety per cent of the Millennium Hilton's 360 strong
staff have come back to their old jobs.
For many of them it's been a tough past year and a half, with
alternate employment hard to find.
Housekeeper at the hotel since 1993, Ermina White, said
it's great to be back in her old job. "I wasn't getting any
employment anywhere so I just decided to wait, because I knew
we would be coming back," she said.
But being in such close proximity to Ground Zero brings
back unhappy memories for some staff who were witnessed the
September 11th attacks, like cleaner Diana Burke.
"It is great to be among my family and my friends over
here, but when I look across and I see that the World Trade
Center is no longer there I am a bit sad because I lose a lot
of friends in that building," said Burke.
The refurbishment has cost the Hilton group more than 30
million United States dollars - all 55 floors have been fully
refurbished. Many of the 565 rooms overlook Ground Zero, the
site of the Twin Towers and now a giant construction site.
Far from driving guests away, the constant work of the
cranes and diggers to rebuild on what is now considered
hallowed ground is in fact an attraction.
The Hilton's Area Vice President for Operations, Roger
Swadish says guests want to witness the historic rebuilding
"nearly 85-90 per cent of our guests that call in for
reservations have asked for rooms overlooking the renovation,
rebuilding site, most of them for spiritual reasons or that
other reason - to be part of history" he said.
The further spur business in Lower Manhattan, the hotel
is offering cut price rooms for the month of May, to get the
message out there that they are now fully open for business.
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