After more than 100 years in business, New York's historic Roosevelt Hotel is now set to close this year. In a statement to CNN, the Roosevelt's owners, Pakistan International Airlines, regretfully declared that the hotel will be closing as a result of financial strain and occupancy decline due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"Due to the current, unprecedented environment and the continued uncertain impact from COVID-19, the owners of The Roosevelt Hotel have made the difficult decision to close the hotel and the associates were notified this week," the statement reads. "The iconic hotel, along with most of New York City, has experienced very low demand and as a result the hotel will cease operations before the end of the year. There are currently no plans for the building beyond the scheduled closing."
Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, the Roosevelt Hotel first opened in 1924 and has since been a recognizable icon in New York's pop culture pantheon. The hotel has appeared in many classic motion pictures including The Irishman, Maid in Manhattan, Malcolm X and Wall Street.
The New York landmark was also the backdrop to numerous historical events, having hosted Guy Lombardo and his orchestra on New Year's Eve in 1929 during the first performance of "Auld Lang Syne." In addition, the space served as the election headquarters for Gov. Thomas Dewey in 1948, where he committed the unforgettable faux pas of incorrectly announcing his victory against Harry Truman.
Photography by: Wang Ying/Xinhua via Getty
