Quote:
Originally Posted by MonctonBoy
My sources are first-hand and without telling me flat out that it wasn't going to the Hyatt, I can confidently say it will not be going there.
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Well, let's look at the evidence:
1) - IHOP has a working relationship with Corey Craig (absolute fact, confirmed by IHOP itself). Corey Craig is building the Hyatt Place.
2) - Construction start date estimated to be December 2019 (found on the CCD construction card, pretty irrefutable). This presumably means an opening date in the first half of 2020, which corresponding to the anticipated opening of the Hyatt Place Hotel.
3) - The hotel is slated to have a "nationally branded restaurant" off of it's lobby area, with an outdoor seasonal patio. IHOP is nationally branded.
That is pretty good evidence, but it is all circumstantial evidence.
Let's look at the flaws in the logic:
1) - While IHOP might be a great restaurant for hotel guests, especially at breakfast times, it doesn't really fit the bill for a restaurant expecting to get substantial business from a major sporting venue across the street. A roadhouse restaurant or a sports bar would be a better choice in this context.
2) - There is very limited parking in the neighbourhood for a restaurant like IHOP, which normally would like to have lots of convenient parking for patrons looking for quick, no muss, no fuss comfort food. In fact, the ideal location for an IHOP would be in a power centre like area, especially next to a major transportation corridor.
3) - Would IHOP fit into the upscale type ambience which would be expected of a Hyatt Place Hotel? Probably not........
4) - The restaurant is slated to have an outdoor patio. This sort of restaurant feature is not really associated with IHOP. This fact alone is a fairly major strike against the IHOP rumour.
So what does this mean?
The evidence remains strong, but is purely circumstantial. The relationship between IHOP and Corey Craig doesn't necessarily mean the restaurant will be located at the Hyatt Place. Corey Craig is a development company, and perhaps has contracted with IHOP to build their restaurant somewhere else. This is entirely possible. If so, then where would this be?
If IHOP is going to an alternate location, the ideal spot would be in the Granite Centre, immediately adjacent to the TCH. There is in fact a restaurant pad at the Granite Drive/Elmwood Ave intersection ready for immediate development. This is an entirely plausible alternative.
So, if this is actually what is going on, then what does this mean for the restaurant space at the Hyatt Place? The only thing we know for sure is that it will be a "nationally branded restaurant" with an outdoor patio space. Baton Rouge is a possibility, and is interested in Moncton, but is looking for local investors. As such, it doesn't sound quite ready for prime time. BR might also be a little too upscale for your typical hockey crowd. I'm personally wondering about Jack Astor's as a possibility. This would fit in with the Avenir Centre really well. It has sort of a sports bar atmosphere and a reliable quick dinner menu for pre and post game crowds. It would be a better choice. Jack Astor's is also rumoured to be interested in Moncton.
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