If there is one thing which has been badly needed in Yorkton in recent years, it is additional hotel/motel rooms.
With the upswing in the economy locally, the rooms have become important for business development in terms of providing lodgings for work crews.
As rooms fill with workers though, it puts the squeeze on such facilities in terms of housing tourists, whether those coming to the city to attend meetings, sports teams visiting for tournaments, or those planning weddings.
As a result, the flashing 'no vacancy' signs are a rather common occurrence most nights at established hotels and motels in the city.
In recent years the coffee shops and street corners have been home to numerous rumours of new hotels and motels coming to the city, some having made it to the stage that stories were written here on their impending construction, but so far all the construction has been delayed at best, and at worst even the rumours died out.
It does however appear 2012 could change all that.
A Holiday Inn Express has the foundation in place on Smith Street across from Audio Warehouse.
A new Days Inn will be built on the property beside the Parkland Mall, said Darryl Meier, CMA, General Manager, Development with Harvard Developments Inc, who owned the land until selling it to the hotel developer.
Then last Thursday in a presentation to the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce, Zane Hansen, CEO of the Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority, said the success of the casinos in spinning off to other enterprises. A new companion hotel is being built at Swift Current, and in Yorkton Kahkewistahaw First Nations is in the planning stage for one beside the Painted Hand Casino. (See full story this edition).
And Monday night at the regular meeting of Yorkton Council there was more news on the hotel front.
At the meeting it was announced the City has approved sale of the former Water Treatment Plant No. 4 lands at Broadway Street West.
"The accepted purchase agreement limits development of the site as a Hotel with ancillary uses," explained Michael Eger, Planner with the City.
The purchaser will have a 12 month window (upon closure of the sale) to begin construction. If construction does not begin within the 12 month period, the purchaser will have to return the property to the City for full refund of the purchase price, explained a report circulated to Council.
Should the four projects all move forward it will certainly alleviate the room shortage, and make Yorkton better-positioned to host major events which are presently impossible due to a lack of rooms.
The projects are certainly overdue, and will be a positive for events, business and tourism.
