Thunder Bay leaders skeptical over waterfront deal

The transfer of land from the city of Thunder Bay to a developer for a waterfront hotel and condominiums has left some city councillors and businesspeople wondering about the timeline.

They're concerned the deal gives the developer two years to lay a foundation and much longer to complete the projects.

Lynn Tapak, who owns property and a bar in the North core, said with a far-away deadline for construction, she's unsure if the hotel will ever get built at Prince Arthur's Landing.

"They keep putting it off," she said. "It'll be two years before they even have to start. It'll be five years before they have to finish it. I actually will be quite surprised if it is completed at all."

Lacking hotelier

City councillor Larry Hebert said council was informed about the extended building schedule. But he said what concerns him more is the absence of an agreement with a hotel operator.

"It hasn't been signed yet [and that] makes me a bit nervous,’ Hebert said. "But, hopefully, that's one of the things that happens in the two year startup that he's given to start. And, it's sooner than later and we can get moving on it."

The developer, the ReSolve Group, said it's currently negotiating with three or four hotel chains to build at Prince Arthur's Landing — and said it expects to have a hotelier in place by the end of June.

But Thunder Bay councilor Rebecca Johnson said she’s disappointed the hotel operator hasn't been finalized.

"I really don't care who the developer is in regards to the hotel, as long as we get one announced," she said. "I think that the community is owed that, and I think it's time that that announcement was made."

Johnson said she doesn't like the idea that a giant hole could still be in the ground two years from now at Prince Arthur's Landing.