MACON, Ga. — The company that lent nearly $4 million to fix up a vacant Macon hotel says the owner defaulted on their loan over a year ago. Now, they're asking a federal judge to appoint a receiver to protect the building.
The old Ramada hotel on 1st Street has sat vacant for nearly a decade. Over the years, the old hotel was also a Hilton, a Radisson, the Crowne Plaza, and the Macon Downtown Hotel.
The 16-story and 298-room hotel was once Macon's pride in terms of tourism. It used to be the place to go in town for weddings, conferences, proms and even the King of Rock n' Roll, Elvis Presley, who made a visit back in the day.
In August, Canadian businessman Ruby Sangha told 13WMAZ he poured more than $12 million into renovations.
He said he was running out of money, so he put the place up for sale.
The lender, a company called HDDA, LLC, filed a lawsuit in federal court last week saying the owner defaulted on the loan in early 2020. They say the building is at risk of damage and decay unless the court steps in.
According to the lawsuit, Ruby Sangha is represented by Macon lawyer Blake Lisenby. He could not be reached for comment.
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