Proponents of redeveloping 848 Seymour Street in downtown Vancouver into a major hotel are making it clear they would like to build their project in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

A new rezoning application outlines the plan to turn the mid-block surface parking lot immediately east of the Orpheum Theatre into a 317-foot-tall, (96.6-square-meter) 30-story hotel tower with 393 guest rooms.

The project is being spearheaded by Hong Kong-owned Paul Y. Construction, with Forme Development as the local development manager and Perkins & Will as the design firm.

If approved, this would be the largest infusion of new additional hotel supply in downtown Vancouver since the construction of Parq Vancouver’s JW Marriott and Douglas Autograph Collection hotels.

The proponents are requesting the City of Vancouver to allow the proposal to fall into an expedited application review stream that would see its rezoning and development permit applications reviewed within 18 months — about one year less than the usual process.

The applicant believes this is achievable due to Vancouver City Council’s acknowledgement in the past that more hotel rooms are needed, and that the proposal is not challenging to review given that it follows existing City policies for the location and does not exceed the height restriction of 317.5 feet (96.7 meters) due to the mountain view cone over the development site.

If the expedited review is granted, the development permit would be reviewed and approved by the first quarter of 2024, and the hotel would be completed by early 2025 — more than a year before Vancouver’s key co-hosting role for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to Destination Vancouver’s analysis, the potential economic loss in forgone hotel room demand as a result of delaying this project by one year is 440 fewer full-time jobs, CA$52 million (US$40 million) less in the total value of goods and services output, $29 million (US$22 million) less in gross domestic product, and CA$7 million (US$5.4 million) less in total tax revenues.

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