Hacks & Wonks

And that's exactly the problem. Travelers staying at the airport are doing so in isolation for the most part. They're not experiencing our community, enjoying the sights, and dropping money in local shops and restaurants. They're getting in, getting work done and getting out as soon as they can.

The WAA would probably be delighted if visitors never even left the airport property.

Exactly ! It's like when you see the cruise ships go to places like Anchorage Alaska. they get on the cruise-ship owned coach, drive to the cruise-ship owned hotel in Whithorse, get brought to eat at the cruise-ship owned hotels and coffee shops and then visit the cruise-ship owned attractions and gift shops. A complete loop and nary a penny escapes the company.

I see this type of hotel as a step in that direction for the WAA to keep a closed loop. i wouldn't be surprised to see additional retail and services also popping up next to it to ensure taht tehy'd not want to leave the airport area at all to ensure WAA captures as much of their spending as possible.

Will it have a World Class Waterpark?

Well, if it wasn't such a great idea, Lakeview wouldn't be doing it... The fact of the matter is, is that, the type of clients that the hotel at the airport is getting are ones that are flying in and out during the day, taking early morning flights, and ones that have business meetings and are immediately out again. Why would they want to come downtown to do that when they have the convenience of doing it as soon as they get off the airplane. Besides... What is there to see downtown anyway???

I should clarify my position somewhat. I'm not opposed to Lakefront and the WAA pursuing each other. They only have to look out for their own best interests and I'm sure there is a solid business case for the hotel there.

I'm just wondering what it suggests about the hotel market as a whole here. Isn't this development just one more of those tiny symptoms of sketchiness?

Or am I completely off my rocker and the idea that you need a luxury business hotel in the first place means that the economy really is clipping along A-Ok?

Or does the fact that the business traval is coming from outside the province suggesting little growth in-house?

Or does that mean more dollars from outside coming in?

I'm going to stop now. Getting dizzy.

I don't think it says anything about the economy as a whole. This is just really good for Lakeview because they need to expand operations because the Sheraton that is currently there does not suffice for rooms and facilities...
This is just a business going where the market is...

The Hack is right.

The airport Sheraton Four Points has one the highest, if not the *the* highest*, occupancy rate(s) of any hotel in Winnipeg. And currently downtown hotels are not doing well at all.

That will change, though.

Anon # 2 is also on the right track. In the months and years after the Canadian Museum for Human Rights is open for business, representing a truly world-class tourism attraction in downtown Winnipeg, downtown hotels and development will surge.

Anon #1, above, is being too optimistic about the impact the CMHR might have on downtown hotels, because no one has dealt with the fundamental problems keeping people away - the ground level problems, the boring ones that don't involve a megaproject and a nice press conference.

Count on many of the CMHR visitors finding other places to stay far from Portage (Inn at the Forks, anyone? Canad Inns Polo Park?), because of ground level problems like walking through an army of panhandlers and drunks to get into any downtown hotel, finding nothing to do once downtown, no cabs, poorly secured parking, poorly chosen transit routes, downtown dies at 4pm when it's very alive in other cities, etc etc etc. How will taking a shuttlebus from, say, the Radisson or the Delta be any different from taking a shuttlebus from the Holiday Inn on Pembina?

- Anon #3

Without a doubt the airport/Polo Park hotel market has been far hotter than downtown for a considerable length of time.

In the last decade we've seen almost 700 new rooms with:

- former MTS Building on Empress converted to the 139 room Clarion Hotel
- The 213 unit Greenwood Inn
- The 210 unit Sandman Hotel
- 132 units at Four Points Sheraton

Plus 100 new rooms (and the World Class Waterpark-WCWP) announced for the Canad Inn Polo Park

Many others have also seen major upgrades.

- The CanadInns Polo Park was substantially renovated and added conference space
- The Radisson Suites was renovated and upgraded and is now the Hilton Suites
- The International Inn was renovated and is now the Victoria Inn
- The Viscount Gort has seen substantial upgrades

By comparison downtown hotels have been relatively stable or in decline.

- Former Sheraton lost it's Starwood banner and became an independent and then closed
- Holiday Inn and Suites at Colony and Portage has been rumoured to be converted to student residences for the U of W
- Very little has been done at the Delta Winnipeg
- The Radisson has changed ownership and has targetted a specific niche market
- The Fairmont has upgraded some rooms on some floors, but has atrocious problems with its HVAC systems. Perhaps the REIT selling it doesn't want to pay for these improvements
- The Fort Garry has upgraded some rooms on some floors, but far from all. Gorgeous spaces, attentive staff and great food make it a great venue for meetings and banquet space, though.
- Carlton Inn is no longer a mid-range hotel, despite great location
- Hampton Inn, Hilton's lowest brand being built in a downtown is an embarassment
- One of the only bright spots downtown is the Inn at Forks. I'm just surprised they didn't build more meeting space.

Nightly rates are finally inching up downtown because of the Sheraton leaving the market. It's surprising we have absolutely no Marriott-affiliated hotels in Winnipeg despite their push into Canada in the last number of years. The Hampton Inn was drawing in Hilton HHonours frequest guests so well they pushed for the management contract at the Radisson Airport, from what I've heard. With the closure of the Sheraton, the only Starwood-affiliated hotel left is the Four Points at the airport. (Starwood includes Four Points, Sheraton, Westin, W Hotels, Le Meridien, etc.)

There are enough conference planners/organization boards that are addicted to hotel frequest guest point inducements that not having a Starwood, Hyatt, Marriott and only a lousy Intercontinental Group (Holiday Inn at Colony and Portage) property downtown that instead of building an expanded convention centre the city and province would be better to invest in building braded hotels, IMHO.

I'm surprised Levit is currently planning to build a non-affiliated hotel at the airport.

Anon #4