Nick Schorsch’s Audrain Heritage Restaurant/Hotel Group has made another big move in Newport, announcing the acquisition of The Vanderbilt Hotel on Mary Street. The sale, announced via a quiet news dump to the Providence Journal on New Year’s Eve, adds to Audrain’s already extensive list of local properties.
Schorsch, who moved from New York City to Newport about 12 years ago, has steadily built a substantial presence in town. His group’s holdings include La Forge Restaurant, Brick Alley Pub, Newport Craft Beer, The Red Parrot, Flo’s Clam Shacks, Audrain Automobile Museum, Audrain Motorsport, Audrain Park Place, Audrain Hospitality, La Costa Lobster and Tacos, Wally Weiners, Newport Lobster Company, Hilltop Inn, the Cluck House, the Cluck Truck, Amano Pizza, Newport Life Magazine, The Reef, Caleb & Broad, and the food concessions at Easton’s Beach.
Some residents and business owners are beginning to question just how much one group should own. With so many Newport staples now under the Audrain umbrella, concerns are growing about whether the city’s character and local economy are becoming too closely tied to one entity.
Many are left wondering what Audrain’s next move will be. Could it be a mansion on Bellevue Avenue for private events? Stay tuned, because in Schorsch’s Newport, there’s always another deal around the corner.
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