The Don CeSar history

Rowe died May 5, 1940 in his Don CeSar suite.

His wife, Mary Rowe, inherited The Don CeSar and ran it for another year until December 7, 1941.

The hotel was converted into a military hospital, and reopened in December of 1942.

The once splendid hotel became a hospital for the military based in St Petersburg and in 1943 it housed traumatized air force pilots.

The Don CeSar remained as such until June of 1945, when it was ordered to be closed, and was vacant by September of the same year.

In 1946, Al and Sayde Tisch sold their summer camps and purchased Laurel In The Pines Hotel in Laurelwood, New Jersey.

In 1952 they purchased two opulent but aging hotels in Atlantic City name the Brighton and the Ambassador.

In 1956 Preston and Laurence paid $17 million to construct the Americana Hotel in Bal Harbour, Florida.

In 1959 a major antitrust ruling mandated that Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to forfeit ownership of Loews Theaters.

Six months before MGM was to dismantle Loews, Preston and Laurence purchased a major share of the company, and by May of 1960 they owned the controlling stock.

The VA remained until November 1967, when it began moving out.

By 1969, the historic hotel in St Petersburg had severely deteriorated.

Even though the Americana was later sold to Sheraton in the 1970’s, it was a pivotal part of their careers.

In 1972, June Hurley Young headed a committee called “Save the Don” in an effort to restore the historic hotel.

The outdated property was then abandoned and left to become an eyesore for the community. It took 18 months, $3.5 million, and 12,000 gallons of pink paint, but on November 24, 1973 the Don CeSar was opened once again for business.

1974: The United States Department of the Interior listed The Don CeSar on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1975 CNA profited $10 million and remained financially stable and profitable.

In 1979, they bought 93% of the troubled company for $38 million.

These efforts resulted in the losses being cut in half by 1984, to around $8 million.

In late 1985 Laurence Tisch sold any remaining Loews Theaters and purchased a large share of CBS Incorporated stock in order to help fight of a merger with Ted Turner.

In 1986 the company was finally turning a profit.

1989: The Don CeSar became a charter member of Historic Hotels of America.

With the 1992 purchase of Odeco Drilling Incorporated, Loews had amassed the largest fleet of offshore drilling rigs in the world.

In late 1995 Loews sold about 30% of their oil drilling subsidiary, netting them an additional $300 million.

Late in 1996 Loews Hotels entered into a joint project with MCA Incorporated to develop three themed luxury hotels in Orlando, Florida.

The first, the Portofino Bay Hotel, opened in 1999 with 750 rooms.

2008: The Don CeSar celebrated its 80th anniversary and its new Spa Oceana debuted.

In 2009, a million-dollar meeting space renovation was completed.

2010: Maritana Grille underwent a renovation and the Sea Porch does the same a year later.

In 2011, the signature restaurant, Maritana Grille, Lobby, Lobby Bar, and Sea Porch Restaurant were reimagined and revitalized.

2012: The Don Cesar completed an ambitious renovation of all of its major accommodations, marking a beginning of a new era at “The Pink Palace.”