Since the first time I ran for Council in 2007, I wanted Chestermere to have a hotel. Why? For me, a hotel was a necessity for growth. Before our hotel opened, we hosted two provincial hockey tournaments and saw minimal economic value. The teams visiting from around the Province stayed in either Calgary or Strathmore. Because they did not spend the night or weekend in Chestermere, there was little or no reason for them to stick around when they weren’t playing. Mom or Dad might have stopped for a hot drink and some snacks or grabbed some gas on their way out of town, but these little necessities barely made a dent in our local economy.
Now, insert a hotel, and you can see the difference. When families stay overnight, they head to the grocery stores for food and drinks. They buy items at our pharmacies to treat bumps and bruises, and between games, they shop or take advantage of our amenities. A hockey tournament is just one example of the positive impact to our local businesses and economy. Think about how much more impact will we see when we add in other sports tournaments, out-of-town golfers, event participants (Water Festival, Loop Around the Lake, the Triathlon), wedding guests, conferences, and construction or trade workers (I often see company vehicles lining the hotel’s parking lot).
A hotel has fantastic benefits for our community. It keeps people in our city when visiting, which encourages visitors to buy our products, frequent our facilities and use our services. It may also attract more hotels, more restaurants, and more services, resulting in more local jobs. A hotel builds momentum. This past spring, Best Western opened its doors in Chestermere, and we thank them for choosing our community. I look forward to new hotels, motels, restaurants, and other future businesses coming to Chestermere. I also look forward to various groups being accommodated and Chestermere becoming a preferred place to host an event. Chestermere is more than an amazing place to live, work and play; it is a great place to visit!
Christopher Steeves, Councillor
City of Chestermere
Phone: 403- 988-5790
Email: csteeves@chestermere.ca
Twitter: @C_Steeves_TOC
Facebook: Christopher.steeves.12
