Dave Sullivan
Northern News Services
Yellowknife (Jun 13/01) - Former Yellowknifer Dale Bowler says he had a most peaceful sleep one night last week in Yellowknife's newest motel.
As part-owner, Bowler could be entitled to enjoy his investment, although he's evasive when asked if his partners expected him to pay the room bill.
Forty per cent of the $3.4-million Super 8 is jointly held by Bowler, who owns the land, former Inuvialuit Development Corp. president David Connelly and Superior Lodging of Calgary.
The Inuvialuit Development Corporation holds the remaining 60 per cent.
"The investment fits in with our real estate portfolio," says IDC chair Dennie Lennie.
He said there was a disagreement with the chain over decorating. The IDC prevailed, and the motel is filled with Inuit art from Holman.
An IDC construction company was also the main contractor for the 66-room lodge, located on Old Airport Road.
Yellowknife's Super 8 is IDC's first motel investment, but its executives are already talking to the chain about opening more locations in Whitehorse and Inuvik.
That's fine with Marc Staniloff, president of privately owned Superior Lodging, Canada's Super 8 master franchise holder. Yellowknife's Super 8 is the chain's 83rd in Canada. The rest, just under 2,000 locations, are in the U.S. The company says a new one opens every 2.3 days.
Super 8 is owned by Cendant, a large U.S. concern that also owns the Ramada, Travelodge, Howard Johnson and Days Inn chains, as well, as Century 21 and Coldwell Banker real estate brokers, Avis car rentals and the second largest tax preparation service in the U.S. Former prime minister Brian Mulroney is on the board of directors.
Yellowknife's Super 8 has been open since December. Its grand opening was delayed because of some damage from a propane fire, and the owners wanted to wait for warm weather.
