Regional Investment Opportunities
COMMUNITY PROFILE – Wetaskiwin
Overview
The City of Wetaskiwin is located in central Alberta along the Edmonton/Calgary economic corridor, 35 minutes south of
Edmonton and two hours north of Calgary. It thrives on a comprehensive transportation system, which includes road, air
and rail links providing access to suppliers and markets alike. Connecting highways include Highway 2A north and south;
and Highway 13 east and west, which connects to Queen Elizabeth Highway 2 (QE 2). Wetaskiwin has its own municipal airport
with a modern terminal and a 3,900 ft. paved runway. The Canadian Pacific Railway also services Wetaskiwin. A secondary
main line runs north and south through the City while a branch line runs east and west.
The main economic bases of the Wetaskiwin area are oil and gas, agricultural products, distribution, and tourism. Wetaskiwin has a wide spectrum of retail services, which cater to the residents of Wetaskiwin and surrounding area.
Wetaskiwin is home to more than 12,500 residents and over 400 businesses. The residents enjoy 400 acres of parks complete with a connecting trail system throughout the City. Also available are excellent recreation facilities for all sporting activities, including golfing, and full service camping facilities.
The primary trading area for Wetaskiwin consists of residents from the City of Wetaskiwin, the County of Wetaskiwin, and the Maskwacis Four Nations Reserve. This trading area has a population of approximately 34,000 people.
HOSPITALITY
Wetaskiwin currently has a single hotel and 3 motels, along with 2 campgrounds and 1 bed and breakfast. Wetaskiwin also
has a number of fine dining establishments as well as all the popular fast food options.
EXISTING ATTRACTIONS
Wetaskiwin offers a variety of attractions. There are four museums, including the world-famous Reynolds-Alberta
Museum, two local golf courses with an additional seven courses within a 30-minute drive, an annual rodeo, a biennial
air show, and a historic downtown with numerous turn-of-the-century buildings restored to their original splendor.
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The Visitor Information Centre is located at the junction of the world-famous Auto Mile and at the entrance to the historic downtown area.
TOURISM STATISTICS
Undoubtedly the biggest tourism draw for Wetaskiwin is the Reynolds-Alberta Museum with an average annual attendance of
approximately 50,000 people.
The Biennial Air Show for 2010 will be the third show held in Wetaskiwin following 2006 and 2008. In 2008 a record
52,000 people attended the two-day show that was held at the Reynolds-Alberta Museum. Planning for the 2010 Air Show is
well underway with expectations to exceed the number of attendees in 2008.
COMMUNITY WEBSITE
To learn more about the Wetaskiwin, please visit
www.wetaskiwin.ca
TOURISM INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITY – HOTEL AND CONVENTION CENTRE
OVERVIEW
The City of Wetaskiwin is centrally located in close proximity to the Edmonton International Airport, just minutes off
of Highway 2, and is ideally situated for the hosting of numerous provincial and regional association conferences.
In order to properly service this market, an opportunity is available for an appropriate full service hotel and
convention facility.
Due to its central location and community size, Wetaskiwin has the opportunity to host several amateur sporting events and tournaments. Families attending these events desire hotel facilities with activities for children such as waterslides and swimming pools. Currently, Wetaskiwin does not have a hotel facility with these amenities and in many cases people are travelling to other communities for accommodations.
With an appropriate facility, the City, the County, First Nations communities, and the Chamber of Commerce will assist in efforts to draw conferences and events to the community.
Opportunities also exist for the provision of a truck stop-style facility on Highway 13.
INVESTMENT
The investment will depend on the scale of the facility and the services provided. Land costs range from $250,000 to $450,000 per acre.
SITE
There are 3 sites available that range in size between five and seven acres. They are in close proximity to provincial
highways and are appropriately zoned with services readily available. There are other hospitality services in close
proximity to the 3 sites. These sites are presently owned by different private corporations and they are willing to
negotiate with potential buyers.
There are also other larger parcels that are available near the Reynolds-Alberta Museum that have zoning in place to
allow for hotel convention facilities. These sites have services available, but will require subdivision.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information regarding this opportunity, please contact Scott Martin.
Phone: (780) 415-8827 or Email: scott.martin@gov.ab.ca
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