Don’t look for any significant development on the old Holiday Inn/Holidome site at Exit 28 for at least several years.
Social media has been speculating the past several days about activity on the site and what might be planned there—with all the ‘usual suspects’ proposed by those with no accurate information to offer.
Here’s the real story from MoodyOnTheMarket.com:
The site has been sold to Kalin Construction of Sodus, a long established and successful road construction contractor. Kalin confirms the purchase and tells us that they will use the property to store road building materials and equipment for at least the next three years of major I-94 reconstruction. The site is approximately in the center of the stretch of I-94 that will be rebuilt between now and 2027.
Those who’ve been around 30+ years will remember one of the region’s largest and most successful hotels on the Exit 28/Southwest Corner site. The Benton Harbor Holiday Inn, later the Holidome, was a mecca for large events, weddings, meetings and celebrations. Before the downtown Boulevard Hotel came on the scene in 1988, it was often the top choice for the accommodation of visiting dignitaries, politicians and celebrities who visited the Twin Cities. One of the best restaurants in the area was housed at the BH Holiday Inn in the 70s and 80s.
It all changed quickly in the 90s. The hotel lost its Holiday Inn franchise and soon fell into disrepair. After becoming an eyesore and an issue for law enforcement, it was finally bulldozed, and the site has been vacant now for years.
Several years ago, the property was sold to a Kalamazoo auto dealership group. However, their expansion plans never materialized after the Great Recession ended about ten years ago. For now, the once bustling site will be the home of parked construction vehicles and bulk materials storage.
