8. In the ’70s, the Biltmore was in danger of being shut down, but was instead filled with ugly furniture
By the 1970s, the Biltmore’s ornate style was considered stuffy and passé. The hotel was in such deep financial trouble it was in danger of being shut down or turned into senior citizen housing. Luckily, in 1976, Gene Summers and Phyllis Lambert bought the Biltmore for $5.4 million–quite a steal considering it cost $10 million to build in 1921. For a time, the main entrance was covered over in ugly carpeting and filled with furniture by Mies van der Rohe.
