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Fort Rapids

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fort Rapids Indoor Waterpark Resort
General information
Location4560 Hilton Corporate Drive
Columbus, Ohio
OpeningMay 22, 2006
ClosedFebruary 21, 2016
OwnerNew Perspective Asset Management
Other information
Number of suites338
Website
web.archive.org/web/20160305124147/http://fortrapids.com

Fort Rapids was a hotel and water park located in Columbus, Ohio.

History

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Fort Rapids was constructed alongside the existing Holiday Inn Columbus East hotel. The hotel was renovated as part of the project. It opened in 2006.[1][2][3]

Experience Hospitality assumed management of the hotel in February 2016. On February 21, a small fire occurred and damaged electrical panels, and the resort temporarily closed due to a history of health code violations under its' previous ownership. The following day, the hotel was ordered to close by the Columbus Police Department within the next week due to numerous code violations.[4]

In January 2018, a water pipe burst on the upper floors of the hotel, leading to ice forming on the exterior walls.[5] In 2022, the city of Columbus decided to fine Fort Rapids $1,000 per day.[6]

In March of 2023, the owner of the hotel, Jeff Kern, pleaded no contest to four non-compliance counts related to Fort Rapids during a jury trial in Midland, Michigan.[7]

On June 18, 2024, Jeff Kern was held in contempt of court and ordered to pay a $199,000 contempt fine and $2,000 daily penalties until the property was compliant with safety codes. The city of Columbus required Kern to submit a rehabilitation plan and proof of funding by August 1.[8] After Kern failed to attend a court-ordered compliance hearing that day, without having submitted a plan or proof of funding, the city ordered Kern's arrest.[9]

In October, a fire started in the hotel overnight and took hours for the Columbus Fire Department to control.[10] The fire left a large hole on the property's roof, and caused significant structural damage to part of the property that would require demolition. On December 9, the city issued a sua sponte order allowing New Perspective Asset Management to immediately take over management of the property.[11]

References

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  1. ^ "Holiday Inn Columbus (Ohio) East Planning a $32 million Indoor Water Park / November 2004". Hotel Online. Retrieved 2023-05-01.[dead link]
  2. ^ "The Holiday Inn Brand's 11th Indoor Waterpark, the 60,000 sq.-ft.Fort Rapids, Opens at the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Columbus (Ohio) East / May 2006". Hotel Online. Retrieved 2023-05-01.[dead link]
  3. ^ "Struggling Fort Rapids water park may be sold". The Columbus Dispatch. 2008-02-23. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  4. ^ "Columbus water park shut down due to history of violations". WSAZ News. 2016-02-22. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  5. ^ "Burst water pipe turns Fort Rapids into frozen wasteland". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  6. ^ "Owners of shuttered Fort Rapids water park fined $1,000 per day for repeat code violations". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
  7. ^ "Owner of former Fort Rapids resort faces jail time in Michigan". NBC4. 2023-03-30. Retrieved 2024-11-12.
  8. ^ "City Attorney Zach Klein Says Fort Rapids Property Owners Held in Contempt and Fined for Repeatedly Failing to Fix Serious Health and Safety Code Violations" (PDF). Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein (Press release). 2024-06-18.
  9. ^ "City Attorney Zach Klein Says Court Orders Arrest of Fort Rapids Owner Who No-Showed Compliance Hearing, Sets Stage for Property Takeover by Receiver" (PDF). Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein (Press release). 2024-08-01.
  10. ^ "What is Fort Rapids? Abandoned Columbus indoor water park catches fire". 10TV. 2024-10-28. Retrieved 2024-11-11.
  11. ^ "City Attorney Zach Klein Provides Update on Fort Rapids as Court Appoints Receiver to Temporarily Secure and Manage Property" (PDF). Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein (Press release). 2024-12-09.
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