150-room Marriott brand hotel to be built in the Fraser Valley

A relatively major new hotel property is slated to be built for the Fraser Valley to help meet growing overnight visitor demand across the Lower Mainland.

Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation, the economic and investment attraction agency of the City of Chilliwack, announced today a 150-room Marriott International brand hotel will be built immediately adjacent to Highway’s 1 interchange with Lickman Road.

This hotel at 43971 Industrial Way will be the largest hotel in Chilliwack, and a key anchor tenant for the Fraser Gateway Centre — a new 12.4-acre mixed-use development that will become the first major commercial interchange hub along the Trans Canada Highway corridor entering the Lower Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver.

Furthermore, it is currently amongst the largest new hotel projects within the Lower Mainland outside the city of Vancouver.

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The new property will carry the dual hotel brands of Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott, which is a lower tier brand, and TownePlace Suites by Marriott, which is a mid-tier brand.

The project is being spearheaded by Vancouver-based Denciti Development Corporation, which is also looking to attract a family restaurant and gas station to the site. Other uses in the development entail a light industrial business park, located north of the hotel.

Artistic rendering of the Marriott hotel in Chilliwack at 43971 Industrial Way. (Denciti Development Corporation)

Artistic rendering of the Marriott hotel in Chilliwack at 43971 Industrial Way. (Denciti Development Corporation)

The development permit for the project was approved by the municipal government earlier this month, and construction is now expected to begin in Fall 2023 for an opening by Summer 2025. Upon completion, it will be operated by P.R. Hotels and Meridian Development.

“Marriott is a trusted and respected hotel brand and we are thrilled to partner with P.R. Hotels and Meridian Development to bring this much-needed accommodation to a key location in Chilliwack,” said Garry Fawley, CEO of Denciti.

Brian Coombes, president of Chilliwack Economic Partners Corporation, added: “The plans for this top-tier site align squarely with our objective to see underutilized properties in the community redeveloped to support increased economic activity.”

Site of the Marriott hotel in Chilliwack at 43971 Industrial Way. (Google Maps)

Site of the Marriott hotel in Chilliwack at 43971 Industrial Way. (Google Maps)

Location of the Fraser Gateway Centre development at 43971 Industrial Way, the site of the Marriott Chilliwack Hotel. (JLL/Denciti Development Corporation)

Location of the Fraser Gateway Centre development at 43971 Industrial Way, the site of the Marriott Chilliwack Hotel. (JLL/Denciti Development Corporation)

Location of the Fraser Gateway Centre development at 43971 Industrial Way, the site of the Marriott Chilliwack Hotel. (JLL/Denciti Development Corporation)

A recent report by Destination Vancouver forecasts a growing shortage of hotel rooms in Metro Vancouver, with peak season demand expected to exceed supply starting in the middle of this decade.

The tourism bureau estimates 20,000 additional hotel rooms are needed across Metro Vancouver — including 10,000 within the City of Vancouver — over the coming decades to meet demand, and sustain tourism, economic growth, and jobs.

“We are excited to see plans starting to unfold for a major revitalization of industrial property that will attract tourists, events, provide jobs, and fuel economic growth in the region,” said Allison Colthorp, executive director of Tourism Chilliwack. “Our community sees the increased demand for hotel rooms so this will help alleviate that pressure.”

You might also like:
• Vacant new office space to be converted into a hotel in downtown Vancouver
• Surrey's Pacific Inn Resort listed for hotel renovation or redevelopment potential
• Metro Vancouver needs 20,000 more hotel rooms to meet demand over the coming decades
• Smaller hotel with new office uses in revised redevelopment proposal next to future Oak-VGH SkyTrain (RENDERINGS)
• New luxury hotel design at old Four Seasons Vancouver (RENDERINGS)