When Morris Moinian’s Manhattan-based Fortuna Realty Group purchased the storied Garden City Hotel, the entire process was very clandestine. Rumors such as Donald Trump being interested before the final deal was sealed only added to the intrigue. And while rampant staff layoffs were a great concern, a mass firing was followed by more than 90 percent of the hotel’s employees subsequently being rehired according to hotel management. Any lingering questions about the future of this seminal piece of village history just might be answered on Wednesday, Jan. 30, when the Garden City Chamber of Commerce holds its 2013 kickoff luncheon. The day’s special guests will be the hotel’s new general manager J. Grady Colin and Fortuna Realty director and head of acquisitions and asset management Ashish Lall. Hopefully the duo will be a bit more forthcoming than when their boss made this prized real estate acquisition back in June.
– Dave Gil de Rubio
