Media reports indicate Banff-based Brewster Travel Canada wants to buy Maligne Tours Ltd. in Jasper.
The deal was not confirmed by either Brewster or Maligne Tours, but according to The Jasper Local, Maligne Tours Ltd. owner Gerry Levasseaur said a deal is imminent.
“It’s in the works alright,” Levasseur was quoted as saying in the Dec. 15 edition of the paper. “I wanted to do a development there and it didn’t work out, so I decided to move on.”
Maligne Lake Tours did not get back to the Outlook.
A spokesperson for Brewster also declined comment at this stage.
“It’s our company policy not to discuss rumours or potential acquisitions,” said Michelle Gaudet, Brewster’s media relations specialist. “Our focus right now is on the Banff Gondola redevelopment and renovation.”
Maligne Tours Ltd. currently operates a day lodge and boat tours at Maligne Lake, but offers no overnight accommodations.
In 2013, the company proposed to develop overnight accommodation at the lake, including 15 tent cabins and a 66-room luxury hotel.
The hotel was turned down by Parks Canada, but the agency indicated it was willing to consider the 15 tent cabins.
Environmental groups, including the Jasper Environmental Association and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, who are being represented by EcoJustice, filed a lawsuit in 2014, asking a federal court judge to scrap the controversial plan.
Conservationists argue Jasper’s 2010 management plan prohibits the release of new land for overnight commercial accommodations outside of the Jasper town site, yet Parks Canada intends to change the plan to allow a tourism company to construct tent cabins at Maligne Lake.
Both parties were in court on Oct. 27-28. The case is still pending.
Meanwhile, Brewster is demolishing the upper terminal of the Banff Gondola to construct a brand new building, complete with new café and restaurants, a 48-seat interactive theatre, expanded rooftop viewing platform and new conference space.
The $26 million facelift is the company’s biggest investment in recent years.
The upper terminal and all of its facilities are now closed. If all goes according to plan, the gondola will reopen to the public on May 1, 2016 with limited sections of the terminal open. The building is expected to be fully open to the public on Aug. 1 next year.
Brewster owns two hotels in Banff, including Mount Royal Hotel and Banff International Hotel, as well as a boutique hotel located at Athabasca Glacier.
It also owns three other tourist attractions – the boat tour operation at Lake Minnewanka, glacier trips which use giant Ice Explorers at the Athabasca Glacier and the glacier Skywalk, a glass-floored observation platform that sits 1,000 feet above Sunwapta Valley.
