Tribute to the founder of Holiday Inns

From AP.
FILE -- Kemmons Wilson, who founded the Holiday Inn chain of hotels and revolutionized the industry by bringing affordable and comfortable lodging to millions of travelers, has died at the age of 90. Wilson died at home Wednesday, but a cause was not immediately determined. A millionaire by 1951 from real estate deals, a chain of popcorn machines and a jukebox franchise, Wilson devised the idea for Holiday Inns during a family vacation to Washington. He said he wanted a chain of motels where children could stay free. (AP Photo)

How Sad! I wish I could cry on command...

I wonder if they considered that he may have died of old age.

He wanted a place where children could stay for free? Did he mean like the 14 year old runaways on Sunset?

Hey, Michael Jackson has a place where children can stay for free....

:lol:

Is Michael Jackson not one of the most disturbing people walking the face of the earth? One of my co-workers said, "Only in America could a poor black kid grow up to become a rich white woman..."

My uncle by marriage was an F-86 Sabre fighter pilot during the Korean War. He flew over 50 close combat support missions and was later put in charge of all target selection in his third of the Korean theatre. When he finally got home (despite "'getting shot up and shot at by every 20mm, .50 cal, rifle, and spitball that the Chinese and North Koreans had") his first cousin back in the States talked him into investing his accumilated hazardous duty pay in two franchises of "this great new motor hotel idea that just can't lose" . I believe he told me the franchise fee was something akin to $5,000 matched. By 1969, he owned six of these Holiday Inns and was worth $12,000,00. Gould Barrett, the merry old soul of whom I speak, knew Mr. Wilson personally....A toast, to the great American Motor Hotel, and the men who foresaw it! Below is a picture of Gould at what we believe to be the Kon Tiki Ports....he is the handsome guy on the left. There is a big mural on the wall in the background behind the bar of native girls picking fruit and warriors in leis paddling outrigger canoes!

[ Edited by: Basement Kahuna on 2003-02-15 01:28 ]