JACKSON, Tenn.  Travelers looking for a place to stay where they won't be bothered by alcohol sales or explicit pay-per-view television programming may be pleased if they find room at the inn  the Old English Inn, that is.
According to The Jackson Sun, Englewood Baptist Church announced it will keep open the Clarion hotel it is buying for $1.6 million. The church had planned to use the hotel building for ministry programs starting in January, but decided to lease the property to members to keep it operating as an inn.
The Internal Revenue Service allows churches to buy adjacent property and operate it as a profit-making venture tax free for up to 15 years, according to the newspaper. After that period the property would have to be used for nonprofit activities or be subject to taxation.
Englewood business administrator Wayne Brown said the church doesn't expect to make a profit in the coming years, as the money from the lease agreement will go toward paying off debt incurred to buy and maintain the property. The church is banking on the long-term investment value, he said.
The Rev. Phil Jett said that after considering all the work needed to convert the hotel into a building for other purposes, church leaders decided keeping the inn open was a good idea.
"It will be under local ownership and local management," he said. "We feel good about that. It's a contribution we're making."
Management of the hotel will reflect the church's beliefs, the newspaper reported. The bar will be removed and pay television shows that would be "morally averse to our ideals" won't be available in rooms, Jett said.
Englewood is set to take possession of the property Jan. 14. Church members Chip and Sara Coughlin will lease it and serve as general managers.
"It's a great opportunity," said Chip Coughlin. "We're going to go after the Christian market."
The church plans to use some areas for Bible studies and ministry programs. Churches looking to hold retreats and conferences as well as the general public will be welcome at the hotel, Coughlin said.
