The Eighth Wonder Of The World

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Created on Tuesday, 03 October 2006 04:12

Written by Susan Capparelle

ORANGE COUNTY,Ind. -- The famous and historical West Baden Springs hotel, once deemed the Eighth Wonder of the World, and its sister resort French Lick Springs are undergoing a $382 million renovation / expansion to restore their original glory. When both resorts open next year, the sparkling new laundry will be equipped with machinery from Super Laundry City Equipment (SLCE) of Indianapolis, IN.

According to McDowell SLCE has run the Laundry at the French Lick Spring Resort since 1998 "The previous laundry for French Lick Springs resort was comprised of mostly old equipment," he says. "It was housed in a crumbling building that was approximately 110 years old and scheduled for demolition as part of the renovation project."

That laundry 20 x 70 ft laundry handled approximately 2,500 pounds of laundry a week for what was then a 471-room hotel.

The new laundry will be located in the basement of the Events Center at the French Lick Resort. Size-wise, it will have two additional stories and comprise 8,208 square feet. The laundry will include a storage room and hotel linens.

Thirty-two staff members will process 1,800 pounds of laundry per hour running 16 hours-a-day for a total of 682 deluxe rooms at both the French Lick Springs resort and West Baden resorts according to Dyan Welsh, PR manager for the French Lick Resort Casino.

"The laundry will have a full valet area that will handle all employee uniforms as well as offering valet dry cleaning for customers," said McDowell. "Once both hotels and casino are up and running there will be a total of 1,400 employees served by the laundry."

Processing the hotels laundry goods will be 2 Washex FLA 3000 washers, a Washex FLA 1100 washer, a Washex FVS 600 washer, a Washex Towel Master Folder, and a Washex Master Stacker/Conveyor.  Drying the goods will be a Cissell HD75 dryer and 2 Cissell HD190 dryers and two Milnor 190 dryers. The dryers vent into an Energenics FRP20 lint filter. The laundry will be using a Jensen finishing line consisting of the Jensen EuroFeed, a Jensen EX-10 two roll ironer, and a Silverline folder cross folder. The laundry will be using a Jensen finishing line consisting of the Jensen EuroFeed, a Jensen EX-10 two roll ironer, and a Silverline folder cross folder. A White conveyor system will be used to help transport the goods.

Built in 1902 around natural sulpher springs thought to have healing powers, West Baden was a breathtaking 700 room castle-like hotel situated on 250 acres. Its six story domed atrium was larger than St. Peter's Basilica and the Pantheon, making it the largest free standing domed structure in the world.

Both West Baden and nearby French Lick Springs, drew notables and celebrities such as Al Capone, the Rockefellers, major league baseball teams and government figures. Franklin D. Roosevelt announced his presidential bid from the West Baden.

Although time took its toll on the beautiful structures, in 1996 the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana concerned over the long vacant and collapsing condition of the 1902 National Historic Landmark, purchased the West Baden. Preservationists, returned the buildings to its original condition. After being closed for more than 70 years West Baden will reopen in 2007.

In 2005, the historic French Lick Springs Resort, less than a mile down the road, was also renovated and expanded. A casino and events center was added to the property. The French Lick casino and resort will open in late 2006.