Penticton City Council will consider next steps related to a potential hotel attached to the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre (PTCC) at its July 14, 2026 meeting.
Council will receive reports summarizing public engagement to date, concept design work and economic analysis related to a potential future hotel attached to the PTCC. Council is being asked to direct staff to prepare the assent voting (referendum) process for removal of the historic trust conditions as part of the upcoming October 2026 local election. The report advises that it would be premature at this time to proceed with any changes related to the park land dedication.
What is Council being asked to decide?
Council is not being asked to approve the construction of a hotel. Rather, Council is being asked to direct staff to include a question on the Oct. 17, 2026 General Local Election ballot asking voters whether they support removing the trust conditions contained in a 1912 indenture affecting portions of the PTCC lands. As affirmed through the design concepts, removing this trust condition is required to facilitate a hotel development in the future and because removing the indenture requires approval through assent voting, the upcoming election provides an opportunity to achieve this.
What is the 1912 indenture?
A portion of the lands associated with the PTCC was transferred to the City in 1912 with a legal trust condition requiring the land to be used for public recreation, sports, parks, exhibitions and other public purposes. Because a hotel is not listed under those conditions, voter approval would be required before the restrictions could be removed.
When the indenture was created, municipalities had limited tools to guide land use. Today, land use is regulated through statutory processes such as Official Community Plans, zoning bylaws, public consultation and decisions made at open Council meetings.
The proposed referendum would ask voters whether the historic trust conditions should be removed, leaving the lands to be managed through existing land use controls. The outcome of the vote would not approve a hotel or determine future development plans for the site, both of which would require separate review and decision-making processes. If approved, it would simply remove the historic restriction and enable the planning work to continue.
What about parkland and Bambino field?
The design work has concluded that the historic trust must be removed in order to proceed with an attached hotel. However, it has also determined that an attached hotel is viable without impacting the dedicated parkland, including Bambino field. While a design that changes the existing parkland, both in location and design, may ultimately be pursued as the planning work is advanced, the report acknowledges the ongoing work with the sport user groups, the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee, and the broader community that needs to be concluded before staff can bring forward recommendations on this aspect.
Why is an attached hotel being considered?
The North Gateway Plan identified an attached hotel as a potential long-term opportunity to strengthen the competitiveness of the PTCC and attract more conferences and events to Penticton, supporting an important economic sector.
Many conference and convention organizers require or strongly prefer a headquarters hotel connected to the venue. Without one, the PTCC is often overlooked for larger conferences and corporate events, limiting tourism and economic opportunities for Penticton.
Council is reviewing public feedback, concept design work and an economic impact study, which found an attached hotel could generate approximately $29 million in direct economic activity to the community each year, support 70-90 jobs and increase spending at local businesses by $2 million a year. A potential lease rate of $75-$100k per year would add an additional revenue stream for the City. The analysis suggests an attached hotel would help attract more visitors and events while supporting the local economy, including diversifying the City’s revenue streams.
Is there a hotel proposal before Council?
No. There is currently no hotel development application, development permit or construction proposal before Council. Any future proposal would require additional planning, review and approvals. The potential removal of the historic indenture is one of several steps that would be required to enable planning work to continue.
Learn More
Residents can review the full July 14 Council agenda, staff reports and supporting documents at penticton.ca/council. The Regular Council Meeting is open to the public and can be attended in person or viewed online through the City's website starting at 1 p.m. A recording will be available to view the following day.