Hotel development is moving at an unprecedented rate in Calgary. Seven new properties are either open or on their way to opening, and many other properties are undergoing renovation. When the hotels are completed, the city will have 9,519 hotel rooms (up from 8,700), with 3,755 of them in the downtown core.
Here is a rundown of a few of the area's hotel developments:
Marriott Hotel Corporation took over the management of downtown's Radisson Plaza Hotel. This will be Marriott's first hotel in Western Canada. The company plans $7.5 million in renovations to the 383-room hotel, which is connected to the Calgary Convention Centre.
A 326-room Sheraton Hotel, the first major development in the downtown core since 1981, is scheduled to open in September 1998. The 15-story, all-suite property will include a large recreation center and a swimming pool.
The Palliser Hotel, Calgary's oldest, will be adding a swimming pool and a larger fitness center. The hotel also has a limited number of guest rooms that are equipped with a computer and Internet access via a high-speed cable system.
A local developer is transforming a red-brick historical building near Calgary's Eau Claire market into 29 luxury suites that will cater to business travelers.
In addition, a program to expand Calgary's international airport over the next 20 years has been announced. Air Canada's terminal will be expanded, as will customs and immigration facilities, parking, and taxiways. To cover costs of the program, passengers will pay a $5 surcharge on all tickets at point of purchase.