West Virginia University talks partnership with hotel owners

Officials from West Virginia University and the owners of the Waterfront Place Hotel in Morgantown, W.Va., renewed talks about a possible gift-type transaction between the hotel and the university. Last month, university officials confirmed that they were once again speaking with the hotel owners about the future of the 17-story property, a conversation that the two entities first began two years ago.

University financial officer Narvel Weese told the Charleston Daily Mail newspaper that the talks are preliminary, but he mentioned a few possible scenarios that could result from the deal, including a partnership to allow the university’s hospitality program to operate in the hotel, letting the property serve as a “laboratory” for the program, he said. Or the university could acquire the entire building. “It’s just a little early to even talk about that at this point,” Weese told the newspaper.

The Waterfront Place Hotel is one part of a complex of buildings, which includes an university administration building and parking garage. The independent hotel is in Morgantown’s Wharf District and has 10,000 square feet of meeting space, big enough to accommodate seated dinners for 650 and receptions for 1,000.

Source: Charleston Daily Mail