Business growth at the south end of Calgary has attracted yet another new hostelry to the city.
The Wingate Inn opens its doors July 1 at 400 Midpark Way S.E., just north of 162nd Avenue off Macleod Trail S.
“There are a lot of big business offices down there,” notes sales manager Michelle Dick, citing a list of companies in the southern office parks. Many are in the various engineering sectors, and more growth is likely, she adds.
Dick used to work at one downtown business hotel and noticed that as some companies left the downtown core, their out-of-town business visitors had little choice in suburban hotels.
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| The Wingate Inn, aimed at the business traveller, opens its doors in southeast Calgary on July 1. |
Aimed at business travellers, Wingate Inns boasts T1 lines for high-speed Internet access in all rooms. The Calgary hotel will also offer two conference rooms and an executive board room, plus a complementary business centre for guests. There will also be a swimming pool and restaurant on the site, but separate from the hotel.
The Wingate’s 103 rooms will start at $129 a night.
The hotel is a long way from the airport, but management is looking at establishing a guest shuttle, or reaching a deal with a taxi service.
The hotel will also boast a shuttle service to offices in the area, says Dick.
The Wingate is also eyeing revenue outside the business market. As the first accommodations north of Marquis of Lorne Trail, the hotel is a convenient option for leisure travellers who arrive in the city by car on Highway 2. Residential growth in the area could also mean a thriving wedding trade.
Wingate Inns are franchised by Cendant Corp. in the U.S. Superior Lodging Corp. — the Canadian developer of the franchise — sees a market for about 50 Wingates in Canada, says vice-president Ian McAuley. The Calgary Wingate Inn is the chain’s first Canadian location.
A Calgary-based real estate company with retail interests has reported a one-cent-a-share cash flow for the three months ending March 31.
Cash flow from operations was $28,684 or one cent a share, compared to $164,085 or three cents a share for the three months ended March 31, 2000, said General Properties Ltd. (GPL-CDNX).
CEO Robert Knight says the difference comes partly from early repayment of a participating debenture owed to the company in March last year. GPL reinvested the funds in a capital project. There was also a non-recurring gain on sale of land.
GPL also said operating income before amortization and income tax was $46,970 for the period this year and $170,082 for the same period in 2000.
The company’s recurring revenue includes income of $280,118 from commercial property interests offset by operating expenses of $233,148.
It says it plans to continue growth by redeploying capital from mature developments and investments to development projects.
The rocky road of moving house can be evened out with a new service that residential real estate agents can offer their customers.
Home-Link Service Canada Ltd. opened in late May in Ontario and will be national by year-end, says company president Allyson Kinsley.
It’s a B2B company and agents can offer the service to clients for free. The primary revenue for Home-Link is from suppliers such as home painters.
Home-Link will arrange services such as moving vans, utilities, telephone and cable disconnections and hook-ups, security services and trades-people.
Home-Link will stay in touch after the move and is equipped to help manage regular home maintenance requirements.
When a customer accepts the real estate agent’s offer of the service, one of Home-Link’s personal move co-ordinators phones the client within 24 hours. The co-ordinator starts building the relationship with the customer, either by e-mail or by phone.
“If the customer doesn’t have a computer and maybe never will have a computer, they can still use the service,” says Kinsley.
“You have to communicate the way the customer wants, e-mail, fax or phone,” she says.
Using costly technology built specifically for the real estate industry, the service offers every customer a portfolio which they can check online. Real estate agents have their own portfolios, which helps them keep in touch with customers, she says.
Home-Link is a wholly owned subsidiary of Trilon Financial Corp.
Web Watch:
www.wingateinns.com
www.home-link.ca
