Investor sought for Commercial Hotel in Maple Creek

Posted on October 13, 2026 by Ryan Dahlman

Maple Creek News

A fresh effort is being made to breathe new life into the Commercial Hotel.

Last week, the Town of Maple Creek published a request for proposals (RFP) as it seeks potential investors in the landmark building and parking lot at 26 Pacific Avenue. It stated that the aim of the RFP was to “identify a proponent whose development vision aligns with the Town’s economic growth, architectural landscape, and community priorities”.

A viewing of the hotel will take place on Tuesday, October 13, at 10am. Those interested should meet Barry Elliott, the Town’s chief administrative officer, at the Maple Creek Office.

Bidders are asked to state a “clear, competitive purchase price currency offer in Canadian Dollars”.

Submission deadline is 4pm on Thursday, Nov. 5.

The historic building has lain empty for ten years.

Over the years, it has attracted lots of interest.

The Commercial Hotel had its start when the T.C. Power Brothers of Fort Benton, Montana decided to build a two-storey, log structure of 25 rooms in 1885.

In the 1920s, the original hotel was demolished, but today the south wall of the present building shows the timber where the old hotel was once attached.

The Commercial Hotel went through several owners between 1945 and the early 1970s. On July 31, 1973, Bent Sorensen bought the Commercial Hotel and embarked on major renovations. The hotel’s street appearance was updated, and the rooms on the second floor were modernized to include baths. The official opening of the newly renovated Commercial Hotel occurred on January 2, 1976.

Sam and Darlene Boychuck bought the Commercial Hotel in 1986. After 20 years, the couple sold the Commercial Hotel to Young Han Shin in 2006, who then sold it to Chung Lee.

In 2012, Lee sold the Commercial Hotel to a group of Filipino investors who had recently immigrated to Canada, settling in Maple Creek. The seven stakeholders formed Licadel Hotel Group Ltd. and began rehabilitating the century-plus heritage landmark.

Sadly, the 1885 building closed again in April 2017 when the Licadel team declared bankruptcy, blaming the economy and other factors for exhausting all their resources. Several private contractors were left out of pocket as a result.