NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — It's been just a year and a half since the Historic Hacienda Hotel reopened in New Port Richey.
The Hacienda is one of Tampa Bay's iconic original pink hotels. It sat empty for years.
That is, until about four years ago when Jim Gunderson decided to take on the project.
Every inch of the beautiful 40-room hotel was revamped, but its historic identity was preserved.
The Hacienda's history dates back to the 1920s when it was envisioned New Port Richey would become the Hollywood of the East.
Today, the Hacienda has its own little walk of fame, highlighting stars like Johnny Cash and June Carter, who once stayed here.
"The Friends of the Hacienda really helped us gain the support of the community," Dylan Gamez, Marketing and Public Relations Manager of the Hacienda Hotel, said. "We see all these new businesses opening and bringing all different kinds of people downtown, and someone who hasn't been here in just four to five years, if you come back to New Port Richey now, you're not even gonna believe it's the same place."
The hotel features a bar and restaurant called Sasha's. They also have private meeting spaces for bridal or baby showers or even weddings.
"Every day, somebody walks in this building, and they say, 'Oh, my goodness, I had no idea this was here. I had no idea what a charming downtown this was," Gamez said. "So my advice would be if you haven't been to New Port Richey in a while, you definitely need to come and check it out."
