By Paul Post
A $3 million upgrade is slated for Fort William Henry Hotel’s oldest building, allowing the resort to host both more and larger weddings and events throughout the year.
The hotel website says Towers Hall, also known as the Carriage House, was built for use as an early 20th century automobile garage on the property’s southwest corner overlooking Lake George.
The structure is used for events such as Americade, Adirondack Nationals Car Show, Lake George Music Festival, theater productions and meetings for various groups. But increased demand for large weddings has prompted hotel officials to move forward with a project that has been under consideration for several years.
“We actually started working with (Albany-based) BBL Construction in 2015,” said Kathy Muncil, resort chief executive officer. “We had most of the plans done and then the pandemic hit. In a perfect world, we’ll start construction by the end of October and open by May 1. We’re working as hard as we can to accomplish that.
At present, the hotel’s largest wedding venue is its White Lion Room, with a capacity for about 150 people. The renovated Towers Hall would hold about 400 guests, Muncil said.
Fort William Henry has never hosted more than 50 weddings per year. It’s hoped that Towers Hall upgrades will allow more than 60 each year, she said.
“Lots and lots of weddings would like to be on our property,” Muncil said. “We can do two weddings at once because we also have a conference center that’s been totally renovated that’s appropriate for weddings. Its very desirable because you get your own building, behind the Village Blacksmith Restaurant on Route 9.”
In addition to boosting overnight stays, weddings by their very nature are well-organized events, which makes them more efficient and profitable, she noted.
“It’s the difference between knowing that 100 people are going to sit down at 5 o’clock and eat this food versus opening your restaurant door and wondering if they’re going to show up,” Muncil said. “You don’t prep anything that isn’t already spoken for. That’s the difference between organized food operations and a retail restaurant that says, ‘I hope they’re going to come today.’ You don’t have any waste.”
Plans for Towers Hall come on the heels of a $5 million makeover to 79 of the hotel’s 194 guest rooms since 2019. Renovations enabled the hotel to increase room rates from $250 to more than $300 this year.
In addition, Fort William Henry recently spent $1 million on conference center restorations along with upgrades to the White Lion Room and kitchen.
The work has been made possible, in part, by Fort William Henry’s sale of its former Best Western property.
“We monetized that asset and moved it into renovation and upgrades of our major property right here on the lake,” Muncil said. “We are a very desired product, what’s known in the industry as a drivable destination resort. We’re not that far of a drive from four major metropolitan areas, which means it’s easier to have a wonderful time closer to home instead of flying to Myrtle Beach. Lake George does a really wonderful job of selling our best attributes in terms of being outdoors in nature.”
Last winter’s inaugural Ice Castles attraction at nearby Charles R. Wood Park did a great deal to promote year-round visits. The event is scheduled to return this winter.
The current hotel, the third in resort history, opened on July 18, 2004. The original Fort William Henry welcomed its first guests in June 1855. Within a few years, major additions were made that increased guest capacity to 900 people. A large veranda, running the length of the lakeside, was supported by 30-foot tall Corinthian columns.
But fire consumed the structure on the morning of June 24, 1909, as the summer season was about to begin. A second Fort William Henry opened for business on June 17, 1911. Towers Hall was built soon after.
In 1969, Fort William Henry Corp. decided to demolish the old hotel and operate a 64-unit motor inn, built in the 1950s. Roughly 20 years ago, owners decided more accommodations were needed in order to host larger conferences, so plans were drawn up for the current five-story hotel.
The hotel is in the village, off Route 9, on the south end of Lake George. Its website is www.fortwilliamhenry.com.