Quick facts about Westward Ho

With BC-CNS-Westward Ho

By Cronkite News Service

Here are some quick facts about the Westward Ho, an iconic part of the downtown Phoenix skyline.

_Opened in 1928; closed in 1979.

_ Currently used by the government for low-income housing.

_ At 16 stories, it was the tallest hotel in Phoenix until 1960.

_Approximate nightly rate for a room in the hotel’s early years: $2.

_Amenities included convention halls, swimming pool and penthouse suites.

_ Notable guests include Marilyn Monroe, Martin Luther King Jr. and John F. Kennedy.

_ The 268-foot television tower, which is no longer used, brings the total height to nearly 500 feet.

_ Many people mistakenly assume the Westward Ho is shown at the beginning of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” because a shot shows a broadcast antenna. A remake of “Psycho” made in 1998 does show it.

_ A remodeling project in 2004 cost $8 million.