‘Dirty Dancing’ Hotel At Lake Lure Sold
Any mention “Dirty Dancing” always makes me smile. And a little piece of that movie, the Lake Lure Inn & Spa, caught my attention today with the headline, “Dirty Dancing Hotel Sold.”
Movies, like songs, evoke memories. In the Summer of 1987, I returned from a 60-day tour of Italy playing basketball for the US and went on a final date with my high school girlfriend (of 3 years) before she went off to college. The movie’s theme song, “I Had The Time of My Life,” has become synonymous with a very special time in my life. And the Lake Lure Inn & Spa, I’m sure, holds that same feeling for so many-including the cast of the movie!
Dirty Dancing Hotel Sold…Its History
To say the Lake Lure Inn and Spa is historic is an understatement. Opening in 1927, among the guests who have rested their heads there include the likes of Presidents Calvin Coolidge and Franklin Roosevelt, Emily Post, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey from the 1987 smash movie, “Dirty Dancing.” Additional cast and crew stayed there as well. Also, some scenes form the movie were shot at the Lake Lure Inn & Spa.
Dirty Dancing Hotel Sold…For How Much?
The beautiful 72-room hotel and other nearby properties (including the Arcade Commerce Building, the historic Keeter home and acreage, the Irongate salon and spa and restaurants, and office spaces) sold for $11.1 million to an Atlanta based company. Hotel bookings and operations will not be disturbed by this transition. The property has been owned for the last twenty years by George and Hope Wittmer. George tells Business North Carolina, “Restoring and stewarding the Lake Lure Inn has been a 20-year revitalization project. When my wife Hope and I relocated to this beautiful community almost two decades ago, we were glad – and continue to be fortunate enough – to welcome thousands of visitors, locals and guests to share in the magic of Lake Lure. We’ve seen welcomed growth and transformation of this mountain community, and we are excited to embark on our next set of local ventures.”