was the largest wooden structure in the world when it was built in 1903, a luxurious winter holiday destination for rich Americans, that burned to the ground on New Years Eve 1916, miraculously causing zero fatalities, due to it being in the off-season. Can be referenced when describing someone or something with such promise that success is almost guaranteed, but the unthinkable happens and causes it to fail. Similar in tone to the "unsinkable" Titanic, but different because although the Hampton Terrace Hotel no longer exists, its surrounding city and community are given a second chance for greatness.
Reminiscent of the ill-fated Hampton Terrace Hotel, the talented high school basketball player that so recently signed to play in the NBA suffered a near-fatal spinal cord injury last night that has surely cost him his athletic career; perhaps he can recover enough to discover new talents that will bring him a life of greatness.
by Tostito_Mo May 30, 2023