Mon 30 Jan 2006
Say Goodbye Canada
Posted by sookie under Architecture, Business, breaking news, history
Got my breaking news from George Stroumboulopoulos’ The Hour tonight about the Fairmont chain of hotels being bought by a Saudi prince and an American developer for $4 billion. So we can say Goodbye to another Canadian icon. Many of these hotels were built in the late 1800’s under the vision of W.C. Van Horne, who dreamt of building lavish rest stops alongside the newly constructed Canadian Pacific Railway. ”If we can’t export the scenery, we’ll import the tourists” he was known for saying.
I’ve been lucky enough to stay the night at the Royal York and tour some of the famous suites: The Governor General’s and The Queen’s. The room we had was kinda old school (think Laura Ashley decor} but it had a great view and the eggs benny in bed (vegg style) was phenominal.
January 30th, 2006 at 11:13 pm
I heard the news today as well. Such a shame it has to fall into Saudi hands, it doesn’t seem fitting when you think about it, the majestic queen of the Toronto Skyline not owned by a Canadian or a Canadian company. Oh and I love eggs benny, never had them at the Royal though.
February 7th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
That’s melancholy news. I think the Royal York is one of the city’s most majestic buildings, without a doubt. A woman from my church was also instrumental in pressuring the Fairmont to leave the signage ‘Royal York’ on the front of the building a couple years back. Alors, c’est ça!
(say, nice postcard you found there! ; )
March 5th, 2006 at 5:29 am
Say Goodbye to Reality
Fairmount, the Toronto-based chain which own and operate 87 hotels with 35,000 rooms in the U.S., Mexico, Bermuda, Barbados, Britain, Monaco, Kenya, United Arab Emirates and Canada, including my favorite the Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC. is sold to “A Saudi prince” according to CBC.
Oooohhh my Gawrddd!!
I believe that this particular Arab already has a 25% interest in the Canadian hotel chain Four Seasons Hotels.
If we for racial or other reasons are cheesed off with Arab ownership, let’s get those Alberta tar Sands and Artic drilling going and stop the outpouring of all the “Canadian” recourses envisioned and developed by that great American, Cornelius Van Horne.
They were later semi-bankrupted by that great competitor the Canadian Taxpayer via Canadian National and Air Canada, anywho, were they not?
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