Pomeroy hotel under construction

More and more hotels are popping up in Prince George and construction is now well underway with its newest addition, the Pomeroy Inn and Suites.

It's been a long time coming since city council approved a rezoning application in 2015 regarding the hotel's location, which will be situated on Highway 16 next to the Prince George Playhouse.

The lands are a mixture of city-owned lands which front the highway and the Prince George Golf and Curling Club lands behind the old driving range.

In the last 10 years, Pomeroy Lodging has completed more than $275 million in new hotel development projects and Prince George has always been a preferred location according to Christie Doucette, director of Brand Integration at Pomeroy.

"We build in clusters and we always look for locations with a strong economy, medium- to small-sized and a place with a great sense of community. Prince George seems the right fit for us," Doucette said.

"We've always been interested in Prince George and it was a perfect opportunity when it became available."

The hotel will feature 124 rooms, an indoor water park with a water slide, a splash pad, hot tub, meeting space and a fitness room.

Also included are extended stay suites complete with full kitchens, great for long-term travelers, teams and families according to Doucette.

The overall cost of the project is estimated at about $20 million and construction is due for completion in the fall of 2018.

"This is when we plan to open and we are sticking to it," Doucette said.

"Prince George is full of opportunity. We are very excited to be a part of the community."

For more than 65 years, the Pomeroy name has been making its mark in Western Canada beginning in 1941 when Ralph Pomeroy opened the first Pomeroy Hotel in Fort St. John.

In 2008, the legacy hit full circle when the third generation of Pomeroy's, Ryan Pomeroy, opened a second hotel in Fort St. John.

Today, it is considered as one of the fastest growing extended-stay brands in Western Canada.