City leaders approve extra $168,000 for Hotel Topeka

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Topeka city leaders have approved of another funding request for a local hotel to keep it running this year.

Topeka's governing body gathered on Tuesday, April 15 to vote on a proposal to grant an additional $168,000 in funding for the Hotel Topeka at City Center. The money will come from the city's General Fund and will go towards the continued operation and maintenance of the building. The funding request was approved by the governing body 7-3, with District 2 councilwoman Christina Valdivia-Alcala, District 3 councilwoman Sylvia Ortiz and District 4 councilman David Banks opposed.

The City of Topeka purchased the hotel in October 2023 at a cost of $7.6 million. The Topeka Development Corporation (TDC) was created by the Topeka City Council as a not-for-profit corporation to hold the title of the hotel and contract with a management company to oversee the day-to-day operations of the building.

The Hotel Topeka was described as a ‘distressed asset‘ in 2024, with costs nearing $10 million in October 2024 after the approval of an additional $201,000 for the structure. Topeka leaders were informed late last year the hotel would see a nearly $900,000 net operating loss in 2025.

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