Monday's closing of the Holiday Inn in Columbus, OH—known as "the Holiday Inn on the Lane"—probably isn't newsworthy to anyone who doesn't wear, or bleed, Scarlet and Gray, but to me, it's a sad day. The hotel on Lane Avenue across the street from the Horseshoe, Ohio State's football stadium, hosted a raucous and well known party before, during and after every home football game for as long as this 1995 OSU graduate can remember. Called Heiney Gate, and I have no idea why, the party was drunken and wild revelry at its finest. There was always plenty of live music, kegs of beer and hundreds (probably thousands) of students and alumni in front of the Holiday Inn.
A local story says Campus Partners paid $19 million for the hotel, which will be converted into a dormitory to house nearly 500 students after underoing $6 million in renovations. I hope there are some enterprising students who take it upon themselves to reinvent the tailgating tradition in the same location.
This may not be news to many, but if you know Ohio State football, you know this hotel.