Mayfield, Coast hotels to be transformed.
SilverBirch Hotels and Resorts is pouring $60 million into the Mayfield Inn and Suites to turn the local landmark into an international player.
The Vancouver-based company is redeveloping its 40-year-old Mayfield property in the west end into two facilities: Edmonton’s first DoubleTree by Hilton hotel and Canada’s first Home2 Suites by Hilton, an extended-stay inn, SilverBirch and Hilton Worldwide announced Tuesday.
Edmonton is attracting more international visitors and the Mayfield needed changes to cater to that market, said SilverBirch president and CEO Steve Giblin.
“The Mayfield means a lot and it’s iconic to the people of Edmonton, but if you’re coming in from Hong Kong or New York or London, the Mayfield doesn’t mean anything to you, whereas everybody in the world knows Hilton.”
Giblin said Hilton’s online reservation system will also provide worldwide exposure.
“Plus, with that DoubleTree brand, we feel we’ll get more of those customers, so we’ll get better occupancy.”
Together, the DoubleTree and Home2 will provide 345 guest rooms and suites when renovations are completed in the summer of 2014.
“Working in a community like this that’s vibrant and has a good economy and a population that’s increasing, we just see it as a perfect opportunity for us to grow our brands,” said Craig Mance, senior vicepresident of North American development for Hilton Worldwide.
Hilton has a presence in Edmonton with its focused-service Garden Inn and Hampton Inn banners, but the planned 238-room DoubleTree by Hilton West Edmonton will offer more amenities, such as broader food and beverage service, and conference space, Mance said.
“DoubleTree is a full-service global brand, very similar to our Hilton brand,” said Rob Palleschi, global head of DoubleTree by Hilton.
“Our competitive set is Hilton, Marriott, Embassy Suites, Sheraton, Radisson.”
The Mayfield’s existing convention centre will be demolished to make way for an adjacent 123-suite Home2 Suites by Hilton West Edmonton. It’s Hilton’s mid-tier, apartment-style concept for cost-conscious travellers.
“The guests will probably stay from five to 10 nights as opposed to one, two, or three nights and there’s a lot of extended-stay opportunities in the Edmonton area,” Mance said.
The Mayfield, at 16615 109th Avenue, was built in 1972 by entrepreneur Gene Pechet. It was acquired by SilverBirch in 2007.
The hotel is known for its long-running dinner theatre, which was recently renovated and will stay open throughout 14 months of construction which starts in January.
A kitchen and suite tower will also remain open during phased renovations.
While the Mayfield’s existing health club and trade centre are being demolished, everything else will be fully renovated, including rooms, suites, pool and conference space, Giblin said.
About 200 employees will be laid off during construction. They will be invited back in 2014 when the hotels’ workforce is expected to increase, Giblin said.