Hotel Del Sol could get new life as transportation hub

Hotel was been waiting to be reborn for decades

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - An old downtown Yuma hotel could get new life as a transportation hub.

The Hotel Del Sol has long been a landmark in the heart of the city's Historic Downtown District, but it's lacked a purpose for decades. Now the city's considering turning into a transportation center featuring retail and office space.

The city says the hotel's location, architecture, and history make it an excellent choice to centralize the area's bus traffic.

"Preserving that historic building, it's a building you can see particularly when you're driving on the interstate highway it catches your eye. As you're coming around on Interstate 8, it preserves a piece of our history and even helps improve the economic development of the downtown area".

The Del Sol was built in 1926. Originally named the Hotel Ming, after Yuma Mayor F.S. Ming, it was later renamed the Hotel Del Sol. It's Spanish Colonial architecture made it the perfect gateway to Main Street. But the hotel closed in the 1970's. Over the years it's served ad a horror movie set, and a bus stop, but little else.