[FALLSVIEW]

Originally Posted by upinottawa

I would imagine that the United State's Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will have a significant impact on whether many of these proposed developments actually are built. If and when Americans are required to have passports to enter or re-enter the United States, the number of Americans heading to Niagra Falls will continue to decline. I wonder if any increase in Asian and European tourists will be able to fill the additional rooms in all these proposed hotels when WHTI comes into affect over the next 4 to 16 months. I cannot imagine very many of these huge projects getting off the ground until the passport issue is resolved.

I absolutely agree with you upinottawa, but I do know that some of these projects are indeed being pushed through, I've also heard that the parcel of land directly across from the Oakes Hotel is going to be developed into a 20 story hotel. I have also talked to members of the Hilton who say that the expansion is a go in the near future. Here is what the city engineering department had to say:

The new 59 storey Rainbow tower and hotel project is currently in aholding pattern. The necessary amending zoning by-law has not been passed yet and a section 37 agreement is still outstanding. We understand that the owner may be contemplating a redesign. We are working on the amending by-law and the section 37 agreement for the 58 storey Hilton expansion. We have heard about a potential Westin hotel but have seen nothing to date. We are in the process of preparing the amending by-law and section 37 agreement for the condo on River Road. We believe the Great Wolf Lodge aquarium will proceed when the developer is prepared to build it.

I know that Niagara Falls is talking to the Chinese government to grant Canadian destinations permission to market to the country's 1.3 billion people. "Niagara Falls is a very revered destination with the Chinese." With the new passport law around the corner the Chinese market could make a huge difference in tourism, and could be a way of shoring up flagging American business. With that said there are numerous proposals on the table, they are even talking to a golf course about purchasing it for a Nascar track, we'll just wait and see what happens.