Just got confirmation that I have been assigned The Grand America Hotel again this year for my lodging during the AP World History Exam grading in Salt Lake City. The AP World History readers (they call us readers, since we read essays) are booked into one of two hotels, The Grand America and the Little America.
Now don't get me wrong, The Little America is a very nice hotel. It's across the street from the Grand and is owned by the same company. It's quite a place. It's a four diamond hotel.
But it's no Grand America.
The Grand America Hotel is a Taj Mahal of a hotel. It possesses the visage of a majestic 19th century resort. But it was actually built in the late 1990's for the 2002 Winter Olympics. It is spectacular in every way, by far the nicest hotel in Salt Lake. It is actually a Five Diamond hotel...not just five stars...diamonds. Michelin Diamonds.
So since they moved the AP reading to Salt Lake three years ago I have been blessed to have been assigned residency in the Grand America. I'm a humble member of the upper lower middle class (as Orwell described it). I don't have many opportunities to spend time in a place like the Grand America. So yes, when I received the annual email with the living arrangements, I was quite happy.
