Historic Hotel Bentley Changes Hands

The Town-Talk reports Mike Jenkins, a local businessman, purchased the hotel Thursday.

Jenkins plans to completely refurbish the property, inside and out. The seven-story tower -- the newer part of the property -- is to be turned into 28 or so luxury condominiums. The older part of the property would remain a hotel.

The hotel has been closed since December 2004.

The hotel property, which was owned by Robert G. Dean Jr. of Baton Rouge, has been listed for $6.5 million. At one point, Dean was asking for more than $12 million. The final sale price was not divulged Thursday.

The Bentley opened in 1908 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.