Kelowna council defers proposed six-storey Sandman hotel

The construction of a six-storey hotel across from Kelowna’s airport will have to wait said Kelowna City Council on Monday.

Plans for a Sandman Signature Hotel development, with more than 200 guest rooms, at the site of the former Pier Mac gravel pit, were unanimously deferred by city planners to get a staff report looking at the entire area.

“The applicant sees the opportunity for a hotel but we should not put the cart before the horse and do planning after the fact,” said city planner Ryan Smith.

"Obviously Sandman has looked at the hotel bed numbers near the airport and they think there is a need. The question that we’re here to advise council on is whether or not it’s appropriate to start changing the zoning regime that has been a long-standing regime out there to accommodate a one-off type use."

According to the Calgary-based developer, a second hotel is needed adjacent to the airport and that the proposed new hotel would add 100 jobs to the local economy.