Next to Hilton Hotel Oakland, CaliforniaThe airport has closed its doors after 56 years, as many other neighboring businesses have already closed and residents have moved away due to ongoing crime in the area.
On August 28, the hotel’s last customer checked out and it was officially closed.
“We thought we would all retire here, but our hearts are broken,” Egigu Lemma, known to his co-workers as “Gigi,” told Fox News Digital about the closure of the hotel, where he spent more than 35 years as a bellman and guest service agent.
As per reports, over 150 workers lost their jobs. San Francisco Chronicle,
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The Hilton sign at the entrance to the Oakland Airport Hotel, which has closed after 56 years. (Google Street View)
“When I started working at the Hilton, I was 19 years old and originally from Ethiopia. I came to this country as a refugee,” Lemma said, adding that he spent more time at the hotel than at home. “I loved the job, I really loved the job.”
Hilton officials did not say why they closed the Oakland Airport hotel, but former employees believe it was a result of ongoing crime in the area.
A Hilton spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “The hotel owner has made the decision to permanently close the Hilton Oakland Airport.” They added, “Hilton will continue to welcome guests across the country.” Bay Area where Hilton and our franchise partners operate nearly 50 hotels.”
“Business has slowed down After covid, But we were okay, at least the hotel business was going on, but after Covid, crime increased, vehicles were vandalised, catalytic converters were taken, they even stole the ATM from the hotel,” Lemma said of the ongoing difficulties in the area.
Oakland police investigate the scene after an armed carjacking suspect was shot at International Boulevard and 105th Avenue in East Oakland, California, Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. (Jen Tiska/Digital First Media/East Bay Times via Getty Images)
The Hilton Hotel at 1 Hegenberger Road in Oakland has been in business for more than half a century, spanning 20 acres, with 360 guest rooms and 15,000 square feet of event space.
Lemma shared memories of the hotel and its character with Fox News Digital.
He said, “We had a cat in our hotel. Her name was Paris Hilton and she had been welcoming guests at the hotel for the last 16 years.”
Earlier this year, the city’s only In-N-Out Burger restaurant closed. Oakland Close, The popular West Coast fast-food chain company previously told FOX Business that regular car break-ins, property damage, thefts, and armed robberies of customers and employees led to the decision to close in March.
In-N-Out Burger in Oakland closed in March due to crime in the area. (Google Street View)
Neighboring Denny’s also closed in January after 54 years, citing safety concerns. Two Starbucks locations and a local eatery have also closed in the area.
Denny’s said in a statement about the closure, “Closing a restaurant is never an easy decision or one taken lightly. However, the safety and well-being of Denny’s team members and valued guests is our top priority.”
In 2023, violent crime in Oakland increased by 21% compared to the previous year, 120 murders, According to the Oakland Police Department’s annual citywide year-end crime report, there were 3,531 aggravated assaults and 3,690 robberies.
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Blue Shield previously told Fox News Digital that it “recognizes the public safety challenges in the City of Oakland, and we are committed to fully supporting the safety of our employees.”
Some Oakland residents have even abandoned their homes in the city. fear of crime, While retiree Dave Schneider, 60, was shot and killed last summer while he was pruning his front tree during the day.
Rising violent crime in Oakland forces lifelong resident to flee city: ‘I can’t take it anymore’
Fortunately, Lemma was able to find a job elsewhere after the Hilton Hotel closed.
“I’m one of the luckiest people … but most of them didn’t get a job,” he said of other hotel workers. “I got a job, but my heart is still at the Hilton.”
He admitted that he would sometimes take the wrong route to work in the morning, thinking he had to go back to the Hilton Oakland Airport Hotel.
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“When you think about all those memories, it’s very sad. After 56 years, it’s very sad,” Lemma said.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Oakland Police Department and Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
