The Municipal District of St. Stephen has announced a new partnership to build the long-awaited hotel.
MDSS will work with Amsterdam Inn and Suites, a company based out of Sussex. The brand is owned by the deWinter family, who moved to Ontario from the Netherlands in 1952 before settling in New Brunswick. The organization owns four locations in Sussex, Moncton, Fredericton and Florenceville-Bristol.
“This project represents another important step in building a vibrant and prosperous St. Stephen,” said Mayor Allan MacEachern said in a media release.“A new hotel not only supports our tourism and hospitality sectors, but also provides the necessary infrastructure to attract more events, conferences, and visitors to our community.”
John deWinter said the company is excited to bring a state-of-the-art hotel to the community.
“This community has an incredible spirit, and we’re thrilled to invest in its future by creating a welcoming space for travellers, families, and locals alike. We look forward to becoming part of the fabric of St. Stephen and delivering the warm, reliable hospitality our guests have come to expect,” he said in a media release.
The property on 19 Budd Avenue has sat vacant since 2022, barring the concrete slab poured in initial stages of the build. A Best Western was intended to be built there, but according to the Telegraph-Journal, court documents showed at least seven companies had filed claims against developers Spur Line Properties, a judge ordered in November the property go into receivership.
Since then, the municipal government has worked toward securing a new developer to bring a hotel into town. It is also considering a tourism accommodation levy, a fee paid by those who stay in hotels, motels, inns and other accommodations within the municipal boundaries. The money is then used to promote local tourism and make improvements.
