The developer of a conference centre hotel now has a building permit.

The City of Nanaimo announced Thursday evening that it issued a building permit this week to PEG Development, which intends to build a Courtyard by Marriott hotel at 100 Gordon St. across from the Vancouver Island Conference Centre downtown.

The building permit means ground-breaking can take place this spring with construction complete by late 2020.

“This project represents a confidence in Nanaimo and is an important step in bringing new potential to the Vancouver Island Conference Centre and revitalization to downtown,” said Mayor Leonard Krog in a press release. “We appreciate the interest, vision and planned investment that PEG Development is bringing to our great city.”

PEG Development’s original proposal envisioned a 112-room, six-storey hotel. Late last summer, an updated building permit was submitted for a 172-room, nine-storey facility.

The construction value is estimated to be $21.4 million. The city received a building permit fee of $157,000.

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