Vancouver Council Votes on Floating Hotel

0:00It's March 26. Welcome to Vancouver News today, powered by AI. Vancouver City Council will vote on March 31st, whether to send a rezoning request to a public hearing for a proposed 250 room, floating hotel near the Vancouver Convention Center. The six-deck ship would more and a nearby water lot and feature a restaurant, shops, spa, and viewing deck open to everyone. Sunborne Group, a Finnish family-owned company with over 25 years in floating hotels, is leading the project. They run similar spots in London and Gibraltar, and this vessel would be built offside before arriving. It's backed by the Vancouver Harbor Flight Center on behalf of the BC Pavilion Corporation, which owns the land. Officials point to a big need for more hotel rooms, with destination Vancouver forecasting 20,000 new ones in Metro Vancouver by 20-50. City leaders have flagged the shortage since an interim policy in 2018, and see this as a smart way to boost tourism without taking up land.

1:00In the built-up coal harbor area, the hotel would run like a regular building on shore, with no wastewater discharge, and stand 20 meters tall, about like a six-story structure. It promises 150 to 225 full-time jobs, mostly tied to food and drinks, and public access from 8 a.m. to midnight. Via a walkway from the convention center promenade. This comes as council reviews other water-based ideas, like a sauna barge at Kitts Point, with that feedback wrapping up recently. The floating hotel could offer fresh, sea-level views of the North Shore, Stanley Park, and downtown if it moves forward.