Mayor's Update on the Hotel another study

After deadlines being extended twice already for a development permit and engineering plans, plus an additional extension on the naming of the hotel. Tomorrow is the deadline does anyone anticipate that there will be announcement within the next 36 hours? will there be another extension?. Or are we being led down the garden path once again (Quebec Manufacturer).

The Mayor has tossed around many dates and time frames on this issue and numerous others I was just reminded yesterday about the Rivers Run properties by the end of March. That is the problem when you build up people's expectations you should never be upset if they get frustrated when you don't deliver. 

On the right hand side is a poll on this issue feel free to vote I am trying a different type of poll has the google one's were not working very well.    

Update: The Mayor on his moment with Randy this morning mentioned that Best Western are conducting their own mini-feasibility study that will be done by June 17. Strange months back the Mayor was gloating about how fast this process was proceeding due to the fact that the Municipality had hired a consultant to put together a feasibility study included with the original tender package.
Obviously based on the comments from the Mayor this morning there appears to be a need to re address those original numbers. Or this could just be a stalling tactic because Medican does not have an investor yet.  

Note: Seldom I do this but I am going to high light a comment that was made last night, somebody obviously did their home work. 

Maybe Best Western noticed that the study included in the RFP is bogus.

It says we have heli-skiing, whitewater rafting, windsurfing, heli-touring and paragliding.

It mentions the Bingay coal project (suspended), Devon ("due to the age of its plant,it is in need of regular upgrading. In the future, this in turn should require the periodic services of out of town contracters ..."), pipeline, drilling and forestry companies.

And "Rum Runner days and Thunder in the Valley .. attract several thousands of tourists".

It says we have "Highway 3, the weather accessible ... highway" but then it says "Having hotels in close proximity ... is favourable ... because of poor road conditions which often result in the Crowsnest Pass during the winter season."

We have heard this story before......

This morning all excited knowing that the deadline of April 30 had pasted and that according to the agreement between Medican and the municipality that the developer was supposed to announce the name of the hotel chain by that date.

So there I sat with the new municipal flag hanging over my fire place, and my pin of multi coloured triangles attached to my pyjamas top. I patiently sat in front of my radio this morning waiting for the Mayor to take his first opportunity since April 30 to bask in the announcement of the hotel coming to the old hospital site. There was much speculation that it would be a Best Western, has one of the comment's pointed out on my previous post, when you read the articles from the Okotoks paper, Medican, Group Vachon and Best Western seem like a natural fit.

I was so disappointed when the Mayor said the Board of Governors for Best Western are meeting next week to make a decision, (maybe the contract said April 30 2014? check below) which is really strange because about a month a go at a previous council meeting the public was told that the Board of Governors were meeting on April 8-11th.

Back to the radio the Mayor states that there are concerns coming from Sparwood because a Best Western was announced there quite a while back, (see Best Western update below, those two year deadlines are going to be difficult to make).

But the Mayor did come to the rescue with more positive news if Best Western does not come through then we have the Holiday Inn waiting in the back ground, hopefully their Board of Governors will not take too long to get together.

Word on the street is there is a third choice, the famous family ran Dick's hostel and discount water slides are taking a look at the site. (The head of the family Mr Dick suggests that he could get all the Dicks together for a meeting to make a decision, very quickly)

On a serious note folks does this not sound like the script from the Quebec Manufacturer saga except every where the words "Quebec Manufacturer" were used previously you now insert "Hotel Board of Governors" I will pee myself the first time I hear at a council meeting, "I'm sure these Board of Governors are running up lot's of Air Miles flying back and forth to the Pass"       

Medican and Municipality of CNP Contract available at http://transparencycnp.shawwebspace.ca/blog/posts/2/5/


Sparwood Update on Best Western site Feb 2012

 http://www.sparwood.ca/government/news/announcements/best-western-hotel-development

Holiday Inn in the Crowsnest Pass

Just a matter of 10 days ago my fellow blogger Mr Prince put out the news that the word on the street was we were getting a Holiday Inn. At last council meeting CAO Thompson announced that negotiations were going very well with the developer and should be wrapped up in a couple of weeks. Well last night the CAO gave another update negotiations are still going well and should be wrapped up in the next 30 days.

I hope we are not being led down the garden path, anybody hear anything about the Quebec manufacturer lately? I suspect bargaining with the developer is down to that key area now? money and municipal concessions. 

Note: Does not look like the Centre will be gone prior to first snow fall. Or was that just one of the items "that can be taken with a grain of salt"   

Good News in the Crowsnest Pass???

My fellow blogger is reporting that we have an Holiday Inn on the way.

http://blog.johnprince.ca/2012/10/word-on-street.html

I sure hope his source is right.

Between the millions of dollars that will be received for the municipality from the sale of the property, a very quick source of tax base. The employment that this will create and the large number of people that this will drag in of the highway. These are all good things for a community that needs some good news.

I always knew that this was the most likely location to attract new business to our community, assuming that this news is correct the battle over that property and all the BS that went with it, will have been worth while.

Also let's not forget the people that went through the same fight back in the late 90's former Councillors Prince and Montgomery hard to believe that it took so long for common sense to prevail.