The hotel that inspired Stephen King to write his bestseller The Shining is getting a sweeping overhaul in a bid to cement its status in the film industry, particularly among horror-movie aficionados.
The new owners of the Stanley Hotel, in Estes Park, Colorado, roughly 64km (40 miles) from Boulder, plan to borrow nearly US$300 million to expand its facilities.
The project, which includes a new events centre, is the result of a decade of planning by the US state and the hotel owner along with cultural and film organisations around how to attract more regional tourism. Part of the goal is to tap into the Sundance Film Festival’s planned move to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027 from Utah.
The Stanley is a 196-room independent hotel that opened in 1909 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its campus encompasses more than 16 hectares (40 acres) with amenities including outdoor pools, a spa, restaurants and a concert hall.
Near the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, it is the only full-service hotel in the area.
King and his wife stayed in the hotel for one night in 1974, and had the unusual experience of being the only guests as it was closing the next day for the winter, the author recalls on his website.
