THUNDER BAY — The new owners of the Victoria Inn Hotel and Convention Centre are promising to do what it takes to ensure their guests are looked after.
The 182-room hotel on Arthur Street West changed hands earlier this year when it was acquired by Naagaaniiyang Limited Partnership from Manitoba-based Genesis Hospitality for $31 million.
Now the two First Nations that are majority owners and shareholders — Naicatchewenin, northwest of Fort Frances, and Michipicoten, near Wawa — and their partner Morris Group Canada, are introducing themselves to the community.
They held a ribbon-cutting and gala dinner Tuesday evening to celebrate the culmination of a collaboration which they say is a step toward economic empowerment and community viability.
"We're very excited about this acquisition, particularly because there's 80 per cent ownership by Indigenous people for Indigenous people. A lot of our clientele is Indigenous, and it's really wonderful to be able to move away from natural resource extraction to other investments such as this," said Michipicoten Chief Patricia Tangie in an interview.
She said it's essential to meet the requirements of their patrons.
"We need to understand what our citizens' needs are... the clientele who come here and who spend a lot of time here. Are we meeting all their needs, and if not, what's missing?"
Tangie added "There is a beautiful group of staff who already make this a place where people are feeling at home, and they've created a really good environment. So I wouldn't interfere with that."
Michipicoten's business advisor and negotiator, John Kim Bell, described the acquisition of the Victoria Inn as a very secure investment, noting that 97 per cent of the rooms are filled almost 365 days a year.
He said the fact that it was renovated in 2019 essentially made it a turn-key operation that requires no major upgrades.
"This business collaboration is a strength-based approach to bring prosperity to our First Nations, and at the same time, grow the Thunder Bay economy," said Naicatchewenin Chief Wayne Smith in a statement. "Business development is a way to generate employment and wealth so that we can address the critical infrastructure and social conditions facing our communities, and in turn increase our self-sufficiency and wellness."
David Morris, founder and chair of Morris Group, said the company has worked with First Nations groups since 2009, and called the deal "a massive achievement" for the investors.
"I think that this is a really big deal and a really historical achievement to see a partnership like this where all the limited-partner capital was brought in from the First Nations. I also think this is great fit for the city of Thunder Bay, the gateway to all our Northwestern Ontario projects. And I feel that having real good buy-in here locally with the First Nations is going to just further emphasize opportunities and make them keen as well to invest in Thunder Bay and keep seeing economic prosperity for everyone."
Morris also said the hotel will offer safe and culturally appropriate accommodation that's welcoming to people from Indigenous communities.
Chief Tangie referred to the negative reputation that's developed about Thunder Bay in recent years, saying she hopes the ownership group can contribute to creating a better environment in the city.
"The idea that Thunder Bay has experienced a lot of bad press in the past, and particularly with Indigenous people. And one of the things that my father always said is 'Wherever you go, whatever you do, make sure it's better because you were there.' So it's important that we make this better."
With files from TBT News
