Sharp, vice president of the organization, was placed in charge of building the new hotel.

Approximately $2 million was spent on the hotel prior to opening, with roughly half the cost going towards the construction of the building.

[2] The Abraham Lincoln hotel was opened to the public with a weekend of activities that began on Friday, May 23, 1930.

[2] Upon opening, the hotel contained 300 rooms across 16 stories, making it one of the tallest buildings in the city.

He had conducted a rehearsal of "The Stars and Stripes Forever" the previous day with the Reading's Ringgold Band as its guest conductor.

[4] The hotel was also the site of a visit from First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who spoke from a balcony in the Lincoln's lobby.