Green Park Inn auction passes $1 million

By Jeff Eason

Thursday evening’s auction of the historic Green Park Inn in Blowing Rock didn’t go the way its owner, Ronnie Wrenn, and the auctioneers hoped it would.

Auctioneer Mark Rogers started the bidding at $5 million for the century-old resort hotel and the 3.8 acres that it sits on.

Despite holding the auction to a packed, standing-room-only event room at the Green Park Inn, no one but the auctioneer was heard from as the bidding started.

Eventually, someone yelled “$500,000,” a sum that represented one-tenth of the desired starting bid.

Eventually, a few other bidders entered the fray until a plateau of $750,000 was reached.
Minutes passed as Rogers frantically urged the bidding up to $800,000.

Finally, when it was evident that no other bids would be forthcoming, Rogers announced that the Green Park Inn had been sold for $750,000.

Frank Parkhurst, a resident of Blowing Rock submitted the presumed winning bid.
But even as his wife, Suzanne, asked him if they had really purchased the historic inn, the story took another twist.

As per the rules of this particular auction, owner Ronnie Wrenn had the right of refusal of any winning bid and he did so.

Although Rogers Realty and Auction was prepared to take online bids during the auction, nobody utilized the Internet to do so.

Only eight bidders registered on site, but there were well more than a hundred people present at the auction. Outside the Green Park Inn, immediately following the auction, the mood was somber.

“It’s just heartbreaking,” said one former employee of the Green Park Inn.

“There’s no way Ronnie can accept that bid. He owes more than that on the property.”

“We’ve been coming up to Blowing Rock since 1967 when I was a marine stationed at Camp Lejeune,” said Parkhurst. “I love Blowing Rock a great deal. This is where I’ve always wanted to live.” Friday morning, the day after the auction, Bracky Rogers of Rogers Realty and Auction stated that Wrenn had refused the offer of $750,000 for the Green Park Inn.

“We recommended that he refuse the offer and leave it on the market,” Rogers said.

“[On Friday] we’ve received inquiries from Florida and Colorado. We feel confident that we will be able to sell it for much more than the auction price and we are proceeding with that option. We’re still involved and will be until it is sold.” Two weeks prior to the auction of the Green Park Inn, the hotel was shuttered and dark, with no electricity.

As of Monday morning, the highest online bid received was $1.2 million. The online bidding will continue through Friday at 3 p.m