The Quality Inn hotel and conference facility will cease operations June 20. It is on the market for $2 million as a possible alternative use investment opportunity. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff) 

By Glenn Hicks

hotel for sale

Downtown Quality Inn for sale, to cease operations next week

Jun 14, 2019 | 6:51 PM

The Quality Inn and Conference Centre in downtown Prince Albert will cease to operate as a hotel as of June 20.

It is up for sale as student housing, low-cost rentals, or a form of health care accommodation.

The B.C. based owner of the hotel, which is located on the corner of First Ave. E. and 13 St. E., told paNOW he’d tried to sell the building as a hotel earlier this year but the local queries he received were for other uses.

“The interest was for more alternative use like student or [First Nation’s] housing or extended health care,” Shah Thobani said. “It’s built well, it has good bones, and people who are coming to look at it like that fact.”

He said some of the 93 rooms were suites, which could be repurposed as small apartments, like as accommodation for people who were coming to Prince Albert from northern communities for medical appointments.

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Thobani, who acquired the site in 2007, said the hotel business was not economically viable in terms of driving traffic to the location, but said another option for a buyer could be to invest funds into upgrades and infrastructure.

The property is being marketed by ICR Commercial Real Estate in Saskatoon with a price tag of $2 million.

“It could be a long-term care home, a multi-family conversion, some type of housing development, and there’s 1.6 acres of land,” managing partner and senior sale associate at ICR Barry Stuart said. “I would estimate the cost to replace the hotel and amenities at close to $20 million.”

He said 18 of the 93 units are two-room suites.

YWCA, Mayor and PADBID react

While it remains to be seen what a future investor could make of the property, the Prince Albert YWCA dismissed rumours it was buying it for sheltered housing.

It would be perfect [for student accommodation] _{– Carolyn Carleton}

“Unless the provincial or federal government was prepared to put up significant operating dollars it would not be financially viable for a non-profit to operate as a shelter,” CEO Donna Brooks said. “At this time the YWCA is not purchasing the Quality Inn.”

Meanwhile, the mayor of Prince Albert said he wished the owner well in trying to find a new alternative-use buyer.

“It’s certainly a need in our community and I’m pleased to see that instead of moth-balling it he’s trying to find another use,” Greg Dionne said. “We’re open to development and new ideas at city council … and I like the idea of increasing the density downtown; that helps the shops and the restaurants and everything else.”

Dionne said unlike past attempts to offer low-cost rentals downtown, the Quality Inn building is in good condition and whoever bought it would have the capital to invest in it.

Carolyn Carleton with the Downtown Business Improvement District said the idea to sell the hotel for alternative use was another sign of the moves being made in advance of the University of Saskatchewan single campus opening on Central Ave. next year.

“It would be perfect [for student accommodation],” she said. “You’re right by the bus transfer station and a couple of blocks from three schools. That makes a lot of sense.”

Asked if she thought sheltered accommodation in that location would be a good fit for the downtown, Carleton said such plans would have to be considered carefully.

“We’ve seen some situations downtown already that has become difficult, but if it’s managed properly then it is completely doable and feasible,” she said. “It all comes down to the leadership and the management.”

Editor’s note: this article was amended June 15 to correct the spelling of Barry Stuart’s name.

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glenn.hicks@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow