<P> In mid-2012, Middleby Corporation, a publicly traded company engaged in manufacturing commercial foodservice equipment, contacted Carl and made an attractive offer for the company . Approaching the age of 65, Carl consulted with his Stephens partners and, due to timing and the aggressive offer from Middleby, he and his fellow shareholders decided to accept Middleby's offer to acquire Viking . The transaction closed on December 31, 2012 . </P> <P> Public reports, issued by both Middleby and Viking, stated that Carl was to remain CEO of Viking after the acquisition by Middleby . However, in mid-January following the acquisition, Carl abruptly announced his resignation and retirement from Viking . In a memo to employees, dealers and distributors, Carl stated that, at this stage of his career, he had been unable to make the transition from chairman, president and CEO of his own company to answering to the corporate office of a public corporation . The same day Carl announced his resignation, Middleby announced a significant layoff of Viking employees . Carl is no longer affiliated with Viking in any way . </P> <P> When seeking a location for Viking's corporate headquarters in Greenwood in 1986, Carl decided to lease space in abandoned downtown buildings, not only due to the highly attractive price of these underutilized buildings, but also to try and rejuvenate the central business district of his beloved hometown . Over the ensuing fifteen years, Viking acquired and restored over twenty buildings in the downtown Greenwood historic district . In 2001, Viking acquired the abandoned Hotel Irving, which was originally constructed in 1917, to accommodate the increasing numbers of dealers and distributors who were coming to Viking for training and new product introductions . After an extensive restoration spanning two years, Viking reopened the hotel as The Alluvian Hotel and Spa on May 1, 2003, having transformed the derelict, abandoned, downtown eyesore into a fifty - room luxury boutique hotel . Soon thereafter, Viking also established the Viking Cooking School across the street from The Alluvian . </P> <P> The Alluvian has received numerous awards and accolades for being among the best boutique hotels in the North America, making it, its spa, and the Viking Cooking School a tourist destination that now attracts visitors from throughout the nation . Originally intended as a corporate hospitality and entertainment venue for Viking, not only has The Alluvian become a popular tourist attraction, it, along with the many other historic buildings restored by Viking, continued the transformation of downtown Greenwood into a flourishing central business district . Carl's vision for Greenwood's downtown has become recognized as a shining example of what can be accomplished with the preservation of historic buildings to reclaim a declining downtown and transform it into a source of community pride and vitality . </P>

Who owns the alluvian hotel in greenwood ms