A vacant 16-story building in downtown Macon, Georgia, will become the center of a ringing New Year's celebration in 2025.
The former hotel is scheduled to be blown up on January 1 at 9 a.m. ET.
“We acquired this land to blow up,” Macon Mayor Lester Miller said in a press release.
The hotel was purchased by Macon-Bibb County for $4.5 million in federal bankruptcy proceedings, and the county is willing to spend up to $2.6 million to hire a demolition contractor to blow up the building, the Associated Press reported.
“How we start the new year will influence how we spend the entire year. That’s why we are working hard to demolish dilapidated buildings, pave the way for economic and community development, and remember the past. We bring people together to celebrate the future. All at the same time,” Miller added in the release.
According to the Associated Press, the hotel, which opened in 1970 and famously hosted Elvis Presley, was seized by the New York Department of Banking in 1991, alleging the property was involved in a fraud case.
The last store to operate in this building was Ramada Plaza in 2017.
A Macon-Bibb County government press release states, “Several groups have attempted to revive this facility over the years and capitalize on the continued and increasing success of downtown, but none of those plans have come to fruition. No,” he said.
The release goes on to say, “Although numerous attempts have been made to renovate the current building, there are too many challenges, including an outdated design and failure to meet current fire and safety standards, to make the renovations a reality.” said.
Neighboring churches expressed concern about the damage the explosion could cause to the historic sanctuary.
Russ Henry, a member of the priesthood that oversees Christ Episcopal Church, told The Associated Press that the church wants officials to be more cautious about their plans.
“It's an eyesore for the whole community. We want to have something else there…We just want to make sure our church doesn't blow up on the bicentennial,” he said. said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Macon-Bibb County government for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
