(Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

Changing Ownership

Shuttered hotel being shown to potential buyers

Jun 29, 2020 | 5:00 PM

The boarded-up downtown Quality Inn is expected to be in City hands by the end of next week, but Prince Albert doesn’t intend to hold onto it for long.

City Manager Jim Toye told paNOW as soon as the city receives the title to the property, they will put it back on the market. In fact, they’ve already started to show it to potential buyers.

“We’ve already a number of people and organizations go through the hotel to see if it’s something they’re interested in because it is going to take some money – to be honest – to bring it to a state where it can be populated with people,” Toye said.

The Quality Inn closed its doors in June 2019. Its owners owe the city nearly $700,000 in back taxes and penalties.

In late May, the City entered the last stage of the process to acquire the downtown building through the Tax Enforcement Act, giving its owners 30-days to come up with a back taxes repayment plan.

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As that period comes to a close, Toye said they still haven’t had contact with the owners and the City is expecting to receive the title to the property in a matter of days.

Once they do, Toye explained, the next step will be to send it to the Information Services Corporation who will change the name on the title from the previous owner to the City of Prince Albert. Toye said that process could take a few days.

“Then we get that title free and clear,” Toye said. “That means if there were any mortgages left on it or anything like that that’s all removed.”

Next the property will be put up for sale, Toye explained.

“That will happen very quickly…We’re not in hotel business,” he said. “We tax them, but we don’t own them.”

While the building was listed for $2 million as recently as November of 2019, it will likely go for far less. Toye explained renovations are needed inside the building.

“We’re trying to get all the tax money that they owe us and if we get a dollar more than that, that’d be great,” he said. “And then of course we’re paying to put lights and insurance on it, so we’d like that money too if we can get it.”

On the subject of downtown revitalization, Toye said he’d been encouraged by ideas some potential buyers have for the property, although he could not discuss any proposed plans for the building at this stage.

“Some people think it’s an eyesore, but some people see it as an advantage,” he said. “They have a vision for it.”

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom