MACON, Ga. — It's back to the drawing board for the owner of the old Ramada Hotel in downtown Macon.
The company that owns the towering building, Sangha Hospitality, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in federal court, but Wednesday, Attorney Christopher Terry says a federal judge denied that request.
Chapter 11 normally allows a company to reorganize debt and pay back creditors over time.
Terry says at this point, he'll have to meet with owner Ruby Sangha to determine what step they'll take next.
The building has been known as the Macon Hilton, Crown Plaza, Macon Downtown Hotel, and Ramada Plaza.
Throughout the name changes, the front of the hotel used to have limos and fancy cars driving in and out, dropping off folks going to prom or weddings.
The last time the hotel was up and running was February 2011, almost over a decade ago. Since then, it has sat vacant.
The hotel went up for sale in April after a federal judge ordered the owner to get the hotel sold.
Sangha claimed he had poured $12.5 million into renovations.
According to the listing, the estimated renovation cost for a new owner was another $12.5 million, nearly $42,000 per room.
The news over Sangha's bankruptcy wasn't the first flag of money troubles.
In 2018, Park Inn sued Sangha for $304,000 after he failed to renovate and open the First Street hotel by the deadline in their contract, Oct. 1, 2014.
In 2021, Access Point Financial filed a lawsuit saying Sangha defaulted on a $3.5 million loan.
Right now, it's not clear what's next for the building or its owner.