PRESIDENTIAL VISIT: DRURY INN-UNIOKN STATION PUTS OUT THE CARPET FOR BUSH PARTY

When the president comes calling, it takes different kinds of arrangements for renting a room or 150 of them in the case of Drury Inn-Union Station.

"We had a full house when we learned that President George Bush may want to stay at our facility at Union Station," said Charles L. Drury. "But it didn't take Charles Drury Jr. long to say yes."

The first notice the company had that the presidential team may want to stay at Drury Inn during the second presidential debate to be held at St. Louis on Tuesday, Oct. 11, came on Oct. 6, when a White House advance team dropped in at the inn.

"They asked the manager, Gayle Turnbull, if the president could stay there," said Drury. She called Charles L. Drury Jr., president of Drury Inns Inc., and got a quick "yes."

By 1 p.m. that day, the White House had approved the inn.

"The first request was for 60 or 70 rooms," said Charles Drury Sr. "By the weekend a full press of cabinet members and Bush family swelled the count to 150 rooms."

The hotel has 176 rooms, and a good number of those were booked for the weekend, said Drury.

"But we have about 1,700 rooms in Drury Inns in the St. Louis area," said Drury. "We started moving hotel guests around. The majority of them were willing to move to make room for the presidential party.

"We have a 100 percent guarantee of satisfaction," said Drury. "Anyone who was not satisfied with their move to rooms at other Drury motels were offered complimentary accommodations."

The only night the president stayed at the facility was Oct. 11, the night of the debate in St. Louis, but several members of the presidential campaign were there from Tuesday through Sunday.

The price?

Although the room rate wasn't revealed, hotel officials indicated it was comparable to what other large groups would be charged. The tab was secured by a high-limit credit card and paid by check when the guests checked out.

"It was a memorable week," said Drury. "Something was happening all the time. It was almost like a miniature White House.

"We had to empty furniture out of nine guest rooms and turn them into communications rooms," said Drury. "Each room used by Bush's staff had an outside telephone line installed. No calls to the presidential party were permitted to come through the switchboard, so a total of 150 outside telephone lines were added.

"It was a lot of work, but we were pleased the president chose us," said Drury. "We put two signs out welcoming the president to our inn."

On Sunday night President Bush stayed in a King Deluxe Suite.

"Up until then we had never had a presidential suite, but we have one now," said Drury. "And we'll try not to overcharge for the now-famous suite. Remember, we're still a Drury Inn."

When the president first entered the hotel on Oct. 11, he was greeted by Charles Drury Sr. and Shirley Drury, Charles Drury Jr. and Michelle Drury, and the latter Drurys' children, Charlie, 6, and Tommy, 3.

Following the debate on Oct. 11, Bush had dinner at Lombardo's Restaurant, which is inside Drury Inn-Union Station.

"The president's chef had made the trip, and he worked beside the chef at Lombardo's in the preparation of the meal," said Drury.

Joining's Bush's family in the dining room were members of the Bush family including his brother, Bucky Bush, and family, who live in St. Louis. several members of the campaign group, including James Baker, Sam Skinner, Lynn Martin, Jack Kemp, Brent Snowcroft, Marlin Fitzwater, Margaret Tutwiler and others. Also in the group was 8th District U.S. Rep. Bill Emerson and his wife, Joanne.

The president's party had toasted ravioli, calzoni, fried spinach, shrimp kijon, Lombardo salad, New York strip milano steak, pasta marinara and Italian potatoes.

"The president was very cordial at the dinner," said Drury. "He took time to talk with other diners in the room and signed autographs. Before he left the inn, he bid farewell to the Drurys; Eric Strand, regional manager for Drury Inns; and the hotel staff.

Drury later learned that the final decision to stay at Drury Inn was "the president's own decision."

Ann Wagner, Missouri executive director of the Bush-Quayle campaign, said Drury Inn was a locally-owned family business. "The president is very supportive of small businesses and patronizes them whenever possible," she said.

Drury Inns, Inc., a Missouri-based corporation, operates more than 60 hotels in 10 states, with 13 of them in the St. Louis area. The firm announced recently that construction is under way on three new hotels at Paducah, Ky., Springfield, Ill., and in St. Louis, at Lambert International Airport.

The new St. Louis Drury Inn, which will be directly across the highway form Lambert Airport at Natural Bridge and Edmundson Road, will consist of 173 rooms. Opening is scheduled for spring.

The new Drury at Paducah will represent the third operation in that area. It will be at the northeast corner of Interstate 24 and U.S. 60. A summer opening is projected for the 118-room facility.

An existing Drury Inn at Paducah will be converted to a new Drury hotel brand called "Pear Tree Inn." Drury Inns Inc. also operates a Thrifty Inn in the Paducah area.