A rendering of the proposed Hyatt Place Hotel in Kamloops. (Photo via Mundi Hotels)
A Kamloops based hotelier is changing his mind over what to do with a property in Aberdeen once again.
Ron Mundi of Mundi Hotels is now hoping to build a new six-storey, 157-room hotel at 1270 Rogers Way, next to the Coast Kamloops Hotel and Conference Centre.
The City had approved a 99-room hotel back in 2019, before Mundi asked for and got permission to build a new six-storey, 104 unit apartment building in 2021, citing uncertainty in the hotel industry because of COVID-19.
“Our industry is going to do really well for now compared to what we saw during the COVID times. We decided to go back because we’re not comfortable with building a new residential building. It is not our expertise,” Mundi said, on NL Newsday.
“The site is fit for a hotel, because we own the Coast Hotel next door and we’re always looking for more rooms on our properties when we book conferences and in the summertime.”
Mundi says if City approves the changes, which will need to go to a public hearing, the new Hyatt Place Kamloops hotel could be open by the end of June next year, as construction on a two-storey underground parkade at the site is nearing completion.
“The height is the same like the apartment but if we build the apartment, we don’t know we sell it, or how we do that, and we’ve never done it,” he said. “But we just finished a Four Points Hotel in Penticton. We’ve done the Marriott Fairfield. We’ve done the Hyatt Place in Prince George before. This is our comfort zone and what our expertise is in.”
In a report to council, the City’s Development Department is recommending the application be approved, citing restrictions on short-term rentals put forward by the B.C. government. They also say the property is located near other hotels and conference centres, and is in close proximity to the Trans Canada Highway.
“Originally, we wanted to build a hotel and we changed to the residential only because of the COVID thing,” Mundi added, when asked if he expected any pushback over these plans.
“The market has changed, and so we’re going to be back to our original plans. It is not our intention to be in the residential and its not our expertise, so I don’t see any issues.”
City Councillors are expected to give first and second reading to a zoning bylaw amendment during Tuesday’s meeting. The zoning bylaw will be held at third reading pending approval from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
