Barron Hilton in his early 20s, pursuing his passion for flying.

William Barron Hilton (October 23, 1927 – September 19, 2019)

(AP) – Barron Hilton, son and successor to hotel pioneer Conrad Hilton
and the original founding owner of the American Football League Los
Angeles Chargers, passed away Thursday of natural causes at his
home in Los Angeles. Hilton transformed the hotel chain into the
industry’s top brand during his 30 years as its chief executive.

Paris Hilton with grandfather Barron Hilton.

Architectural drawing of The Guest House at Graceland.

(AP) – Elvis Presley used to dream about building a guest house at his
Graceland property, for friends who would visit the rock ‘n’ roll icon in
Memphis.

Presley didn’t get to see his dream come true, but his fans will. The
Guest House at Graceland is a six-story, 450-room hotel, opening Oct.
27 just steps from Presley’s former home. The exterior, with columns,
arches and a portico, evokes the feel of a comfortable Southern
Colonial home, but the interior design and amenities are modern.

Presley died on Aug. 16, 1977, and Graceland was eventually turned
into a museum. Priscilla Presley, the singer’s former wife and a caretaker
of his legacy, said Elvis had made plans to build a guest house as far back
as 1960. But it was never built, so when people visited Graceland, they
would stay at a Howard Johnson’s down the street.

"This luxury hotel is the most significant enhancement to Graceland since
we opened in 1982," Priscilla said Monday. "This is huge … I feel that it’s
just so right for fans, and our guests, and tourists."

Ace Hotel Portland (below) is built on the site of the historic Clyde
Hotel. Built in 1912, the Clyde doubled as a station for the Oregon
Electric Streetcar.

1022 S.W Stark St.

The former Winecoff Hotel, now the Ellis Hotel

The Winecoff Hotel Fire was the deadliest hotel fire in United States history,
killing 119 hotel occupants, including the hotel’s owners. Located in downtown
Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the hotel was advertised as "absolutely fireproof." While
the hotel’s steel structure was indeed protected against the effects of fire, the
interior finishes were combustible, and the building’s exit consisted of a single
stairway serving all fifteen floors. All of the hotel’s occupants above the fire’s
origin on the third floor were trapped, and the fire’s survivors either were
rescued from upper-story windows or jumped into nets held by firemen.

The Winecoff Hotel fire was notable for the number of victims who jumped
to their deaths.

The Rat Pack

RENO, Nevada (AP) — A Lake Tahoe resort once owned by Frank Sinatra and frequented by his Rat Pack buddies is about to undergo a major makeover.

The Cal Neva hotel-casino that straddles the California-Nevada line will close for
more than a year beginning Monday to allow for the multimillion-dollar project.

The 219-room, 10-story hotel and 6,000-square-foot casino will be upgraded in
an effort to revive the struggling property, said Robert Radovan, co-owner of
Criswell-Radovan. His Napa Valley, Calif.-based development company acquired
the Cal Neva in April.

"Our goal is to bring it back to its former glory and to make it what it was like in
Sinatra’s day," Radovan told The Associated Press. "It has such great soul and character, and it’s needed this redo for many decades."

The Cal Neva is one of Nevada’s first legal casinos. The present resort was built
in 1937, when a fire destroyed the original lodge that had opened in 1926.