Students residing at the Howard Johnson, or the “HoJo” as it is widely known, may begin to notice some changes underway. The Howard Johnson became the Barrymore Hotel, as of Sept. 1, causing some students to question the future of their living situation.
“We are getting ready to spend about $1 million on the ground floor with all new food and beverage options, with a lot of exciting things still happening,” said Larry Collier, the Director of Operations for H.I. Development. These ground floor changes will likely have the most impact for University of Tampa students.
“It’s gonna be different because everyone is so used to saying Ho Jo, and now we aren’t going to be able to say Ho Jo anymore,” said freshman and undeclared major Anna Zoumaras.
The Howard Johnson was never intended to stay the Howard Johnson for long, according to Collier. What was supposed to be a four year agreement for the H.I. Development property to be a Howard Johnson became seven years. The project to upgrade the hotel and become the Barrymore has been in the works for two years and upgrades are still underway.
“We have continued to upgrade this property non-stop since 2006,” Collier said.
With millions of dollars in changes and a new name, the hotel will be getting some upgrades. While most of these changes will not affect students, the food and beverage changes will excite anyone that lives in or frequents the hotel.
Collier also notes that the change of the hotel name will not mean any changes in rules or day-to-day operations, aside from the shuttle that takes UT students to and from campus. “Just make sure you get on the Barrymore shuttle, don’t stand and wait around for the Howard Johnson shuttle,” Collier said.
“The name change just seems like its going to be the biggest change,” said freshman and criminology major Kayla Brown.
Despite the name change the relationship between the hotel and the university will remain the same. After the flood in Austin Hall, the hotel was able to make some rooms available to help alleviate some of the chaos with housing. The Barrymore has been working with ResLife to assist with any moves and changes that have been made due to the flood.
The hotel is still currently in the contracting phase, so some information, like all of the new dining options, could not yet be shared.
“The University of Tampa does such a great job with enrollment and they continue to have plans to expand, and they continue to grow,” Collier said. “We don’t see anything in the near future that would exclude us from doing business with the University of Tampa unless UT just maxes out. It’s been a fantastic partnership for about the last 15 years.”
Students at the Barrymore can continue to expect life and business as usual, and the hotel staff can continue to expect to see UT students every day.
“We enjoy having [students]. They bring a great feel and vibe to our hotel,” Collier said. “I have to honestly say that I think the students get better and better every year.”
Krista Byrd can be reached at krista.byrd@spartans.ut.edu