Radisson reopens following Dolly

SOUTH PADRE ISLAND - Radisson Resort South Padre Island has reopened.

"It feels good," co-owner Bill Donahue said Saturday afternoon when he was asked how it felt to have the hotel open again.

It had been closed since Hurricane Dolly caused some structural damage to the building and some roof damage to one wing of the hotel in July.

Donahue was busy, overseeing last-minute finishing touches to the repair job forced on him by Dolly.

"We have 55 rooms ready to rent, and we should have the rest of them available within a couple of weeks," he said.

The Radisson is one of the big four hotels on the Island. The others are the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, the Sheraton Fiesta and the Bahia Mar Resort.

Their closure in the wake of the storm was at least partially responsible for the cancellation of the Texas International Fishing Tournament this year.

Since TIFT is a family event, and people come from all over, there were not enough hotel rooms in the area to accommodate them all.

The other major factor in TIFT being called off was extensive damage to boat docks in the area.

Donahue said the hotel is planning an 18th anniversary party for Monday and hopes to fill the Quarterdeck Club with people for the occasion.