APPLETON — The parent company of the largest hotel in downtown Appleton has filed for bankruptcy protection. The Red Lion Hotel Paper Valley is late on more than $100,000 of taxes due.
The hotel management at the Red Lion Hotel say they plan on continuing to operate for years and that it's just business as usual today.
Red Lion’s parent company, Appleton Holdings LLC, filed for bankruptcy protection just a few weeks ago. This means they’re trying to repay their debts overtime while continuing to operate. That news has some businesses in downtown Appleton concerned about losing the clientele the hotel usually brings in.
"I’m located here because I’m between two hotels,” said Nathan Weyenberg, owner of the Angels Forever Windows of Light store. “The tourist business is really probably 40 percent of my business and I mean it's a huge, huge percent of my business."
"If they’re here, even visiting family and they're on vacation, they tend to open their wallets a little bit wider and they tend to spend their money on the fun stuff down here," said Mary Kelly who works at Crazy Sweet.
According to Appleton’s communication's director, the Fox Cities Expo Center, located directly across the street from the hotel, should not be impacted by this bankruptcy filing.
