After more than 40 years of operation, the Airtel Plaza Hotel and Conference Center in Van Nuys will close Sunday with an event held Tuesday allowing residents, business leaders and employees to look back on decades of memories.
On the corner of Sherman Way and Valjean Avenue, the Airtel has stood as a welcoming hub for visitors and a place of gathering for weddings, celebrations and conferences — and now that chapter is coming to an end, the hotel announced Friday on Facebook.
“As we prepare to close, our focus will remain on ensuring that our employees are supported through this transition and that our guests and clients are cared for until the very last day,” according to the post. “We know this news comes with sadness and disappointment, and we share those feelings with you.”
“… While our doors will soon close, the memories we created together will remain forever. On behalf of our entire team, please accept our heartfelt thanks for being a part of our story,” the post read.
Los Angeles World Airports, which owns the land and oversees the Van Nuys Airport, and the hotel owner, RBABBS Investment Inc., could not reach an agreement on the lease renewal. The company, a limited liability corporation, decided to close the hotel. The Airtel Plaza Hotel has been maintained by Spring Hospitality, a hotel management company.
The Valley Industry and Commerce Association and the hotel staff welcomed the public for a final happy hour, called “One Final Pour, Many Lasting Memories,” at the hotel starting at 5 p.m.
An employee of the Airtel Plaza Hotel told City News Service the workplace culture was “amazing,” and the longevity of employees at the site spoke for itself. One worker was 16 days shy of celebrating 40 years at the hotel, and several other employees had been there for more than 20 years.
The employee told City News Service the hotel itself was a beautiful place that brought in community, noting it was a shame that the hotel was closing.
The Valley Industry and Commerce Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Suzanne Gutierrez and her family have lived across the street from Van Nuys Airport since 2003, in what some residents call “The Pocket,” or an area of 200 single-family homes along Hayvenhurst Avenues adjacent to the airport’s western edge. In a telephone interview with City News Service, she described the hotel as a “staple of the community” and a “landmark for the (San Fernando) Valley.”
“I remember when I was pregnant with my son, over the summer, one Friday a month they would bring in food trucks, like seven or eight of them. We loved it. They would have music playing. It was great,” Gutierrez said.
She recalled attending Van Nuys Airport Citizens Advisory Council meetings at the hotel.
Los Angeles City Councilwoman Imelda Padilla, who represents the Sixth Council District, encompassing the airport and northeast San Fernando Valley, shared those sentiments, adding the hotel was an asset for the community for many years.
“I am disappointed that its lease could not be renewed, and I’m grateful for the decades of service and the memories it created for so many. I will remain fully engaged with LAWA, and the surrounding community to advocate for the best interests of Van Nuys Airport neighbors and businesses,” Padilla said in a statement.