City of Amarillo Votes to Move Ahead with Herring Hotel Renovation

Earlier this month, we reported that a proposal was brought before the Amarillo City Council to renovate the historic Herring Hotel. This historic hotel has sat empty in downtown Amarillo for over 50 years.

Many have tried to restore this hotel to its former glory, but were unsuccessful. Now, a new group has stepped forward to finally bring this downtown treasure back to life.

Read More: $100M Renovation Plan Revives Amarillo’s Herring Hotel

The Herring Hotel’s Long Road to Revival

On Tuesday, October 28, 2025, the project was once again brought before the City Council. The city council reviewed the Chapter 380 Economic Development Agreement with the Herring Hotel Partners.

What the New Proposal Means for Downtown Amarillo

This project aligns with the TIRZ #1 objectives to grow Amarillo's downtown hospitality and commercial capacity. The TIRZ #1 goals were to have 1,200 hotel rooms within walking distance of the Amarillo Civic Center, and the city is currently at only 37% of that goal. This project is also in alignment with the Downtown Strategic Action Plan implemented in 2008 and updated in 2019 to reuse and adapt historic buildings and create financing for redevelopment.

Inside the Herring Hotel Incentive Agreement

This Chapter 380 incentive package is performance-based and is paid only from taxes generated by the hotel after it opens. The agreement provides a 100% rebate on the local Hotel Occupancy Tax for the first five years, then 50% for the following five.

The agreement also includes the city's lease partnership during this incentive period and will revert to the developer afterward. The additional requests include a $200,000 cap on building permit fees and a four-year city option on nearby development.

Read More: Drone Footage Reveals Unique View Of Amarillo's Historic Herring Hotel

Historic Standards Must Be Preserved

To qualify for historic tax credits, the developer must ensure the building’s historic integrity is maintained for at least 39 years. Routine inspections will verify that the hotel continues to meet state preservation standards.

After the presentation, the city council went into discussion. Some council members worried about putting the cart before the horse, as Potter County had tabled its TIRZ vote. However, the two votes are independent of each other.

As a part of that, the Herring Hotel Developers were planning a Town Hall meeting for Wednesday, November 6, 2025, but the final plans for that have not been released.

After discussing further, a motion was made and seconded, and the City Council voted with one member abstaining. The proposal was passed with a 4-0 vote.

What’s Next for the Herring Hotel Project?

The developers will now begin final design and historic review, and the project is expected to start 15 months after the agreement's effective date.

Now we wait to find out if Potter County Commissioners will pass their TIRZ agreement.

 As of now, it is likely this ghost building will be brought back to life, a dream many have held for decades. Our generation will finally get to see the beauty of the Herring Hotel.