14 replies to this topic

[G-Man]

I've heard that there is a planned expansion of the Empress Hotel, bigger than the one in the 1980s. Anyone know more about this? I have not seen a peep in the papers...

[Nparker]

Interesting...WHERE would they expand?

[G-Man]

a good question the obvious spot is the bus depot spot but that site is not that big.

[Holden West]

Times Colonist, 1999:

And there's no point expanding the [Victoria Convention] centre unless something can be done in the immediate vicinity, Titterton said. The market dictates that delegates must be close to conference and hotel facilities.

Ongoing discussions have taken place with CP Hotels, owner of the adjacent Empress, in case the nearby bus depot site and part of the hotel's rose garden are ever available, he said.

2002:

Mayor Alan Lowe said relocating the bus terminal to the new site seems to make sense.

It would likely be more convenient for most passengers and it frees up the existing terminal for other development by The Empress hotel, he said.

I think the Empress has owned that site for a long time. And they have been thinking of a hotel on that site for a while, too.

[aastra]

Whatever happened to the old "boutique hotel" concept for the bus station site?

[Holden West]

That rumour's been floating around for a while. It depends on your architectural vision, I guess. Do you go stand alone modern (like the Magnolia, maybe?) or do you go traditional, and go for an expansion similar to the 1989 tower (and lobby and pool) addition?

[aastra]

And what the heck was Titterton talking about in that "no point expanding" quote? For crying out loud, three major hotels and several smaller ones were right there staring them in the face. And the Marriott was also in the works...didn't they know that??

[Holden West]

They mean there's no point in constructing a "satellite" convention centre blocks away--it's too inconvenient. The article went on to say that the future Memorial Arena replacement would however be used for events too large for the VCE, like RV shows.

I guess they figure conventioneers would rather not walk more than a block away.

[aastra]

I see. I thought they were talking about the need for new hotel space, not the potential for new conference space. My mistake and my apologies to Titterton.

Coincidentally, "My Apologies to Titterton" will be the title of my first novel.

[Holden West]

lol!

[Mike K.]

Ms. B Havin' brought the following to our attention in February:
http://vibrantvictor...topic.php?t=995

Fairmont Empress Hotel sale appears to be just a rumour

Darron Kloster
Times Colonist

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

A hot rumour making the rounds that a Vancouver developer is in negotiations to buy the Fairmont Empress Hotel is just that -- a rumour, says Bob Pearce, development manager for Westbank Corp.

Pearce said yesterday although Westbank is building the Fairmont Pacific Rim in downtown Vancouver for the hotel chain, the company has "nothing more than a good building relationship with Fairmont."

[...]

[G-Man]

Well of all the hotels in Vic this has go to be one that really does not need to be any bigger.

Perhaps start with an update of the bedding and work from there.

[aastra]

There are some negative reviews at TripAdvisor.com as we speak.

[Holden West]

Here's a good view of the 1989 addition. Note the simplified design.

http://flickr.com/ph...eld/1241504845/

[amor de cosmos]

a good question the obvious spot is the bus depot spot but that site is not that big.

that's where the empress' tennis courts used to be