Auction set to begin for Watergate Hotel in D.C.

[BlueJessamine]

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Watergate Hotel, made famous by the scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon, is heading to the auction block.

Alex Cooper Auctioneers is scheduled to start taking bids on the Washington, D.C., landmark Tuesday morning.

Vice president Paul Cooper says hotel chains and developers in the U.S. and overseas have expressed interest in the property.

A 30-day foreclosure notice expired Thursday. It was sent to hotel owner Monument Realty last month after the company defaulted on its loan and listed an outstanding $40 million balance.

The Watergate became famous in 1972 after burglars broke into the Democratic headquarters there, and the ensuing scandal led to Nixon's resignation.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gzUf3IIr8qedgjicBX__diS7hdHgD99IO97O0

[MADem]

1. They used to have a nice Sunday brunch!

[htuttle]

2. I wonder if I could buy just one particular door

...if it's still there.

[Historic NY]

4. I can ask my buddy but I think its on display somewhere..he is a Watergate nut...

he found the parking garage in May where Deep Throat had his clandistine meetings...funny its close to where Obama had his hamburgers.. in Rosslyn.

[Mari333]

3. aw gee I stayed there twice

beautiful place.

[conspirator]

5. You can check out anytime you like but you can never leave

Oh, that's different hotel

[KamaAina]

6. My great-aunt once stayed there. She liberated a bar of soap.

The unopened bar, in its Watergate wrapper, was a treasured family heirloom for years.

[Heidi]

7. BBC: Watergate Hotel attracts no bids

An attempted auction of the Watergate Hotel, part of a Washington landmark made famous by a presidential scandal, has failed to attract any bids.

The opening price on the hotel was $25m (£15.2m), but none of the 10 people registered to bid did so.

More: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8162272.stm