Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 02/01) - Twin Pine Hill will be the site of a new hotel if a trio of Dene and Metis corporations gets permission from the territorial government.

Denendeh Development Corporation, Deton'Cho Corporation and the North Slave Metis Alliance Holding Corporation want to build a hotel on the hill that looms over School Draw Avenue at the upper edge of Old Town.

The project, called "Yellowknife River Resort," is in its third year of a five-year plan, said Darryl Beaulieu, executive director of the project.

"We've got conceptuals," said Beaulieu, "but we're still in the drafting stages."

Beaulieu said the consortium is waiting to get the green light from the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs before kicking into high gear.

"There is a whole process of financing and land we have to get through," said Beaulieu.

Twin Pine Hill is under the territory's lease-only policy. The site is one of many pieces of land around Yellowknife that could be part of a Akaitcho Treaty 8 settlement.

Shaun Dean, communications director for MACA, said he couldn't confirm or deny whether an application had been made.

Dean said an application to develop lease-only land must be approved by all affected parties.

Those parties could include the city, the Akaitcho Nation and other groups, but he couldn't give any more details.

"It's under the Privacy Act," said Dean.

He added that time frames depend on the site and type of development.

Beaulieu said he couldn't give details about the hotel until he met with the project's board of directors. He said a public statement on the project will emerge in a few weeks.

Yellowknife Mayor Gord Van Tighem said the city has been contacted about the proposal.

This is the consortium's first project.