TOPEKA (KSNT) – The online auction for Hotel Topeka has concluded and the City of Topeka made the winning bid.

Ten-X hosted the online auction which began Monday, June 5 with a starting bid of $2 million. Bidding ended at $7.6 million Wednesday afternoon going to the City of Topeka’s winning bid, according to spokeswoman Gretchen Spiker. Bidding ramped up in the final minutes of the auction, before the listing was removed. Spiker said purchasing documents are being finalized, then the sale will be final.

The City of Topeka’s governing body discussed strategies on how to pay for the hotel at its Tuesday night council meeting, after it expressed interest on bidding in late May.

Additionally at Tuesday night’s meeting, the city announced City Manager Stephen Wade would be taking an extended leave of absence for an uncertain amount of time. The governing body appointed Richard Nienstedt from Ottawa as interim.

“As this relates to a personnel matter, the city will not be commenting further,” said Gretchen Spiker, City of Topeka Communications Director.