USA Economy Lodge

USA Economy Lodge, built in 1962 as the Holiday Inn East or Holiday Inn-Eastwood, was a 4-story, 106-room motel located at 7941 Crestwood Boulevard (U.S. Highway 78) in Birmingham's Eastwood neighborhood.

The Holiday Inn was constructed at the site, adjoining The Luau restuarant, in 1962 by Don Marshall's Shades Crest Motels. The manager was Frank Slaughter.

In 1972, after the Holiday Inn-Bessemer at 4301 Bessemer Super Highway was damaged by fire, the Alabama Crimson Tide football team began staying at the motel for games at Legion Field. Its conference room and ballroom were later named in honor of coach Bear Bryant.

In 2015 the motel was acquired by Blue Chip Hotels of Round Rock, Texas.

In August 2021 complaints about crime led the Birmingham City Council's Public Safety Committee to hold a hearing. They found that police had responded to calls more than 250 times in the previous year. The owner, represented by Josh Hornady, said that they would take major steps to eliminate criminal activity, and that there were plans in place to convert the property into studio apartments. Nevertheless, the committee passed a resolution recommending that the City Council revoke the owners' business license. In September the Council agreed to table the matter for 8-weeks to evaluate the effectiveness of the owners' efforts, toward which they claimed to have invested more than $100,000. In November the Council determined that those efforts had been insufficient, and voted unanimously to close it down.

References

• Garrison, Greg (August 17, 2021) "Birmingham hotel had 255 police calls in one year; business license now in question." The Birmingham News
• Prickett, Sam (September 21, 2021) "Crestwood Blvd Hotel Has Eight Weeks to Clean Up Its Act, Council Says." BirminghamWatch
• Garrison, Greg (September 22, 2021) "Birmingham ponders fate of former Bama team hotel with Bear Bryant Ballroom." The Birmingham News
• Garrison, Greg (November 16, 2021) "Birmingham votes to revoke business license for former Bama team hotel with Bear Bryant Ballroom." The Birmingham News
• Prickett, Sam (November 16, 2021) "Birmingham Council Revokes Crestwood Boulevard Motel License After Crime Complaints." BirminghamWatch