WATCH ABOVE: nother hotel in Calgary bites the dust. This weekend the storied Shamrock Hotel shut its doors for good. The sudden closure has taken many by surprise but as Tracy Nagai reports, this may be the price of progress.
CALGARY – The Shamrock Hotel has closed its doors for good.
The iconic venue – and one of the oldest in Calgary – posted a notice on the hotel doors Saturday and a message on its website.
The hotel’s website reads in part:
“For more than two decades we have proudly served Calgary and the Ramsay community. Now, with heavy hearts, we announce the closure of Shamrock Hotel, effective immediately.”
The Shamrock Hotel’s closure has shocked many. A sign on the door read after more than 20-years, it will be closing effective immediately.
“We were choked. I mean it’s a good venue to play and we had good bands lined up and lots of people set to come out so it was disappointing to have it suddenly disappear,” Jimmy Tersmette, from the band ‘Burlap Sac.’
“The Shamrock’s just a riot, it’s got a good crowd, it’s got a wicked sound guy, a good stage, a big stage, lots of regulars, they treat us well, take care of the bands. It’s just a lot of fun, it’s sad to see it go,” said Matt Weber from ‘Burlap Sac.’
People inside the Shamrock declined an interview but there’s speculation the property has been sold to the city.
“I can neither confirm nor deny the veracity of what management is telling the performing arts community,” said Gian-Carlo Carra, city councillor for Ward 9.
The green line LRT route is expected to run through several communities, including Ramsay and there will be some drastic changes along the route.
“The green line is a massive piece of infrastructure and it’s going to cause some significant disruptions in the neighbourhoods it passes through.This has to be more than building a transit line, this has to be about building neighbourhoods and shaping where Calgarians will live,” said Carra
Just days before the closure, demolition began on another iconic hotel – the Cecil Hotel.
WATCH: Demolition begins on Calgary’s notorious Cecil Hotel
Both The Cecil and The Shamrock have seen their fair share of ups and downs, watching Calgary grow around them.
“It’s hard to say which venue has a more sordid and storied history,” said Carra.
READ MORE: Notorious Cecil Hotel slated for demolition but sign to be saved
But despite its past, it will be missed for a variety of reasons.
“Great stage, great sound – some of the best Chinese food,” said Tersmette.
The Green line is expected to be competed by 2024.
There was no reason given for what prompted the closure.
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