'Confidence' held in new hotel owners

The Nor'Wester Hotel and Conference Centre has changed hands and, according to former co-owner Cliff Friesen, it's in very good hands.
Friesen, who owned the hotel with Rick Baretta, said it's time to consider retirement and with the hotel doing so well, this was a good time to sell. HT Norwester LP took possession of the business on June 20.
"We both would like to retire but that's not going to happen for a few years yet," Friesen said. "We still have other operations that we weigh in on."
Friesen and Baretta still own and operate the Thunder Bay Tournament Centre and Thunder Airlines. He said HT Norwester LP has expressed interest in taking over the Tournament Centre when the lease ends next year.
"We certainly will be supporting it but they have to deal with the city on taking it over," he said. "When we built the tournament centre, we donated the land and there was funding from the federal and provincial government, but we couldn't own it — it had to be the city that owned it. We worked out a 30-year lease and that's going to be coming to an end on Dec. 31, 2025."
Luke Reynolds, HT Norwester LP president, told The Chronicle-Journal that HT Norwester's vision is to strengthen its First Nations in business development, education, belief and to work in collaboration in running a company through compassion for its staff, guests and shareholders.
"The hotel will remain a Best Western Plus and we want this to be a premier destination for business travellers coming to Thunder Bay as well as for weddings, meeting events and everyday stays," Reynolds said.
"There will be no changes except in the form of more activities and events at the hotel. All employees have been offered employment on the same terms as the previous employer."
Friesen says he and Baretta feel "very comfortable" with HT Norwester LP taking over the hotel.
"They have a very positive vision going forward. Our manager and many staff members have been there over the 20 years and our accountant has been with our groups including Bearskin Air for more than 40 years," he said. "They've taken them on and we greatly appreciate that and (our staff) were very receptive to this group taking over."
Friesen pointed out that he sold Happy Time Tours to HT Norwester LP many years ago and they have really grown that business.
"So that's why I have confidence in them with the hotel," he said.
The HT Norwester LP is a First Nation group consisting of Kingfisher Lake, Wunnumin Lake, Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, Neskantaga, Wapekeka, Nibinamik, Kasabonika Lake and The Landmark Inn Group.

Sandi Krasowski, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Chronicle-Journal