Historic Midland

From its very beginning, probably more than
any other spot, this is where the big deals have
been made, hands shaken, agreements made
on vital matters affecting the
lives not only of Midlanders
but of people around the
world.
The Hilton concept of
superb hospitality began in
1918, but Midland didn’t
have a Hilton until 1976,
when the old Scharbauer
Hotel, built in 1928, was
imploded and razed to make
way for the Midland Hilton
and Towers—just in time for
the greatest oil boom to hit
the area in 50 years. To meet
the demand for accommodations,
a second tower was
added in 1982, increasing the
size of the hotel to 249 rooms.
But when the bust came,
the franchise owners suffered
along with the rest of the
community. There was no
money for renovation or
repairs. When the franchise
was bought out by Medallion
Hotels in 1989, they spent
$2.7 million remodeling the
guestrooms and public areas.
Although the Hilton’s primary
clientele is corporate,
there have been others to enjoy
the hotel’s unique brand of
hospitality because of its proximity
to the federal courthouse,
or the Midland Center. This
was Zsa Zsa Gabor’s home
away from home, as well as
that of her attorney, Melvin
Belli, during her trial for
charges incurred as a result of
an incident in San Antonio.
Singer Waylon Jennings stayed
here. But the Hilton has a history
of giving star treatment to
everyone, no matter what
her/his business is.
“Every guest we have is
very important to us, and we’re equally pleased
to have each one,” says general manager John P.
Sakelaris.
❖
MIDLAND
HILTON
HOTEL &
TOWERS
Above: Too Dark To Tell: The
Midland Hilton is the Benchmark
of Perfection.
Below: Bedroom: Every room and
suite offers the utmost in comfort
and quiet.
Sharing the Heritage | 93