Bertram Inn in Aurora will close in January as owner seeks buyer

AURORA, Ohio – The Bertram Inn and Conference Center, a longtime Northeast Ohio destination for weddings and corporate events, will close its doors in January. Heritage Development Company announced the decision Oct. 6. The restaurant at the property, The Leopard, will keep operating after the hotel side shuts down. The Bertram is located at 600 N. Aurora Road. Events and reservations will go on Heritage Development said all existing room reservations, weddings and corporate conferences booked between now and the closing date will proceed as planned. Gift cards still outstanding will be accepted through the end of the year. Guests with questions about current reservations can contact General Manager Derrick Bryan at (330) 995 0200. Owner cites a changed hotel market George Kimson, chief operating officer of Heritage Development, said the company decided it was time to leave the hospitality business at this location. “After 26 years we have decided it is time to exit hospitality operations in this location,” Kimson said in the announcement. He called the property a legacy project for Iris and Bart Wolstein, who owned Heritage Development when The Bertram was built. Kimson said the hotel market in the area has changed over the past 20 years. In his words, the property is “no longer the best use” of the site. A buyer is waiting on city approval Heritage Development said it already has an interested buyer. According to Kimson, the buyer would maintain and improve the existing buildings but needs a variance from the city of Aurora. “We look forward to working with both parties to get this done,” Kimson said. The company did not name the buyer or say what the property would be used for. What the property includes The Bertram opened in 2000. The 180,000 square foot complex was built in a neoclassical Western Reserve style. It features multiple ballrooms, outdoor spaces including an amphitheater and 220 guest rooms. The hotel sits next to the Barrington Golf Club Community, which the Wolsteins also developed. Heritage Development said The Bertram has hosted thousands of events over the years. Known beyond Northeast Ohio The inn drew national attention when it hosted the NFL Rookie Symposium from 2012 to 2015. It also made a brief appearance in the Kevin Costner film “Draft Day.” The Leopard has earned the AAA 4 Diamond Award. The hotel has been named a Knot Best of Weddings pick every year since 2007.