Digby Pines, Liscombe Lodge may remain in government hands for season

Two provincially-owned resorts may remain in the hands of Nova Scotia taxpayers for at least one more season.

Tourism Nova Scotia is negotiating another extension to a contract with Connecticut-based company New Castle Hotels and Resorts, which has operated Digby Pines Golf Resort and Spa and Liscombe Lodge Resort and Conference Centre since 2002.

The extension is needed because officials are still going over proposals to sell the properties, Nova Scotia Business Minister Mark Furey said Thursday.

"Our objective is to get out of the real estate business," Furey said.

"That's not a core responsibility or function of government, but at the same time, we have to be conscious of taxpayers dollars and ... attempt to manage any sale in the best interests of Nova Scotians — and we're being diligent in that process."

New Castle Hotels and Resorts operates a number of properties in the Maritimes, such as Westin Nova Scotian in Halifax, Hampton Inn Suites by Hilton in Dartmouth and Algonquin Resort in Saint Andrews, N.B.

No 'significant' change to costs, minister says

Furey said he didn't think the contract renewal would cost taxpayers more.

"I think the annual average cost over the past number of years has been in the area of a million and a half dollars," he said.

"I don't anticipate that those costs would change in any significant way."

The provincial government first put the resorts up for sale in June 2012. This latest attempt to sell was in May 2015.

​The two resorts ​employ a total of 218 people, 12 full-time and 206 seasonally.

Last spring, the province sold Keltic Lodge Resort and Spa in Ingonish Beach, N.S., to GolfNorth Properties. The lodge is on federal land in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park.