It’s been a hotel, classroom, residence hall. Here’s a timeline of the Nittany Lion Inn
The Nittany Lion Inn is set to reopen Sept. 3 following major renovations, and its new look is the latest chapter for the 93-year-old Georgian-style building.
Here’s a look at some of the major moments in the life of the Nittany Lion Inn:
May 5, 1931: The Nittany Lion inn formally opened to the public with a dinner and dance. Penn State President Ralph D. Hetzel addressed the 125 attendees about the inn “and its expected service to the community,” the CDT reported at the time. “Antique furniture scattered through the modern reproductions of early period pieces lend a charm that just suits the exterior of the greatly needed addition to the College community, guests found out on Tuesday night.”
1953: An east wing with 75 rooms was added. That nearly doubled the number of existing rooms. The project also added a grill and two meeting rooms, The Daily Collegian said.
1990: An expansion and renovation added 136 guest rooms, a boardroom, a ballroom and an enclosed dining pavilion in a new courtyard, the CDT reported. The main entrance was moved to the north side of the building facing Park Avenue.
2000: The Nittany Lion Inn received the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Historic Hotels designation. According to the Centre County Historical Society, it was one of only 20 historic hotels in Pennsylvania to be recognized.
2020: The inn closed in March. In the fall, Penn State used it for additional classroom space and single-occupancy housing for on-campus students after originally planing to use it as isolation space for students with COVID-19.
June 2022: Penn State’s board of trustees passed a resolution to sell and ground lease the Nittany Lion Inn and the Penn Stater Hotel & Conference Center to Scholar Hotel Group.
December 2022: In anticipation of major renovations, a five-day sale was held at the Nittany Lion Inn, where items included televisions, armoires, artwork, couches, dressers, chairs, nightstands, lamps and beds.
March 2023: The deal for Scholar Hotel Group to acquire the two properties was finalized. Terms were confidential. The hotel group’s founder/CEO Gary Brandeis estimated about $10 million in renovations would be done to the Nittany Lion Inn.
August 2024: The Nittany Lion Inn held a soft opening, with a grand reopening set for Sept. 3. In addition to new guest rooms and lobby, the inn now features three new eateries.
Editor’s note: This story was updated from a story originally published in June 2022.
This story was originally published June 29, 2022 at 4:12 PM.