Business as usual at the Holiday Inn. For now anyway

Any events scheduled to take place at Sault Ste. Marie's Holiday Inn will occur as planned, promises its current manager, Gasson Elbar.

At least, until April 30, when Algoma Central Properties is planning to take back management of its landmark waterfront property.

"As far as any groups or events that are on the bookings right now," Elbar tells SooToday.com. "We are open for business as usual."

New to the Sault from Calgary, with a stop along the way in Huntsville, Elbar says he quite likes the feel of our city and its friendly people.

He wishes he were here under different circumstances.

But the reality is that on April 30, the 35-year-old hotel will be lowering its Holiday Inn banner and its fate will be in the hands of Algoma Central, which has owned it since it was built.

While no big renovations or upgrades are planned until the takeover, needed maintenance work will still be done, he says.

Algoma Central Properties has a strong track record in the Sault and former Holiday Inn manager Bill Durnford thinks the switchback will be good for business.

Even if it wasn't good for him last month, when Holiday Inn dumped him and a few other managers.

Durnford believes it was part of cost-cutting measures by Holiday Inn as it winds down its business relationship with Algoma Central in Sault Ste. Marie.

Both Durnford and Elbard agree what will happen with the hotel after April 30 is difficult to say.

But Algoma Central has said it will be investing $6 million in upgrades for the property.

"The money will be spent on on a modernization program that includes building improvements, furnishings and fixtures," said anannouncement from Algoma Central Properties.

When the company announced its decision to not renew a franchise lease with Holiday Inn, it also disclosed its intent to ensure the hotel continues to operate as a first-class, full-service hotel.

In the meantime, however, the Holiday Inn is still accepting bookings for rooms and events up to and including April.

"Anything that's on the books beyond April 30 is certainly being managed from a perspective where we are uncertain to the intentions of the building owner," Elbar said. "We acknowledge that we have bookings on the book right now and any time we receive a call we inform our clients of that."