Image: Supplied by Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation /Denciti Development Corp. has reached an agreement to return a major hotel chain to Chilliwack with a 150-room Marriott brand hotel at Chilliwack’s Hwy 1 interchange at Lickman Road. The hotel will be a dual-branded Fairfield Inn & Suites and TownePlace Suites by Marriott built and operated by P.R. Hotels and Meridian Development.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Marriott brand hotel in Chilliwack

Marriott brand hotel coming to Lickman Road interchange in Chilliwack

Jun 26, 2023 | 2:40 PM

CHILLIWACK — A major hotel chain is coming to Chilliwack.

In a statement released Monday by the Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation, Denciti Development Corp. has reached an agreement to return a major hotel chain to Chilliwack with a 150-room Marriott brand hotel at Chilliwack’s Hwy 1 interchange at Lickman Road. The hotel will be a dual-branded Fairfield Inn & Suites and TownePlace Suites by Marriott, built and operated by P.R. Hotels and Meridian Development.

Located at 43971 Industrial Way, this Marriott brand hotel will become the largest hotel in Chilliwack. It will also be a key anchor tenant at the Fraser Gateway Centre, a new 12.4-acre development expected to support increased economic and tourism activity in Chilliwack and the Lower Mainland.

“We are excited to see plans starting to unfold for a major revitalization of industrial property that will attract tourists, events, provide jobs, and fuel economic growth in the region,” says Allison Colthorp, executive director of Tourism Chilliwack. “Our community sees the increased demand for hotel rooms so this will help alleviate that pressure.”

A recent report from Destination Vancouver warned a lack of hotel supply in Metro Vancouver could mean a significant loss to tourism, and in turn, the provincial economy. The report goes on to say substantial investment is needed to encourage new development and make an impact on inventory.

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“There was a return to travel and tourism across British Columbia in 2022 and a resulting resurgence in the demand for hotel rooms,” says Jeff Krivoshen, CEO of P.R. Hotels Ltd. “Building a hotel is a significant investment. We chose this location because we see promise in Chilliwack and are committed to growing with the community for the long term.”

The Marriott hotel will be located on the southern end of Fraser Gateway Centre. Additional businesses located here include Tim Horton’s and a liquor store. Denciti is also in discussions with tenants for a service station and family restaurant. The northern portion of the development will be a light-industrial business park with up to 25 small and large bay warehouse units.

“The plans for this top-tier site align squarely with our objective to see underutilized properties in the community redeveloped to support increased economic activity,” says Brian Coombes, president of Chilliwack Economic Partners Corp (CEPCO). “On behalf of the City of Chilliwack and CEPCO, I want to thank Denciti, P.R. Hotels, and Meridian Development for this high-quality project that will support significant job creation and represents a major investment in our community.”

For the past few years, demand for industrial land has skyrocketed in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley, putting additional pressure on the Lower Mainland where industrial vacancy rates are hovering under 1 percent. Additionally, Chilliwack was the second-fastest growing CMA (Census Metropolitan area) in Canada with a growth rate of 11.2. percent over the last census period (2016-2021). The development of Fraser Gateway Centre will mean a one-of-a-kind opportunity for Chilliwack to meet the growing demand for industrial property and provide opportunities for businesses and employment in the region.

“Marriott is a trusted and respected hotel brand and we are thrilled to partner with P.R. Hotels and Meridian Development to bring this much-needed accommodation to a key location in Chilliwack,” says Garry Fawley, Denciti’s CEO and 45-year veteran of the real estate industry.

Denciti acquired the 12.4 acres of Hwy 1 Interchange property at 43971 Industrial Way and 7985 Lickman Road in Chilliwack in September of 2021. Denciti’s development permit for the new hotel received approval from the City of Chilliwack on June 20^th, 2023. Meridian Development is the building partner for the hotel and construction is expected to begin in Fall 2023. The construction of the Fraser Gateway Centre will be completed in phases and the hotel is expected to open by summer 2025.

Denciti Development Corp. is a British Columbia-based real estate development company creating urban industrial, commercial, and residential developments. The Denciti team has delivered over $2 billion of real estate across Canada. Denciti projects are designed with the end-users, business owners, and potential tenants in mind, focusing on efficient quality-built developments.