Luxury Resort Opening In Depressed Rhode Island

ERIC TUCKER

WESTERLY, R.I. (AP) — Between the private beach and butler service, a new resort on Rhode Island's shore promises to be among New England's most luxurious when it opens in June.

The original Ocean House was a post-Civil War resort destination for the rich. The 1916 silent movie "American Aristocracy" with Douglas Fairbanks was filmed at the towering Victorian hotel, known for its yellow facade and striking ocean views. But the 135-year old hotel, in need of extensive repairs and upgrades, was closed in 2003 and razed.

Now a group of sentimentally attached investors — led by mutual fund magnate Charles Royce — is taking a $140 million gamble, building an upscale replica of the hotel in the seaside enclave of Watch Hill. They want the new Ocean House — with its 49 rooms and 23 condos — to compete with rival destinations in places like Newport, Nantucket and the Hamptons.

Royce, who owns a summer home in Watch Hill, said he was dismayed by the prospect of losing the hotel, where guests, socialites and local residents converged for grand celebrations or simply drinks at the bar.