The owner of the Tally-Ho Hotel says online reports that the hotel closed abruptly without notifying employees are false.
Wayne Hopkins said he gave 60 days notice and severance pay to the employees before officially closing the hotel on Saturday.
The Tally-Ho Sports Bar & Grill and Hideaway Café remain open.
“This wasn’t a quick decision,” Hopkins said.
“It’s old, it doesn’t meet the expectations of today’s travellers, so we need to figure out what the next best use is.”
The hotel employed 10 to 14 people in the low season and up to 20 in the high season, he said.
He is considering several options for the space, from renovation to a totally new business, but he said a sale is unlikely.
“The property was listed for sale for the first part of the year and we found there was really not a lot of interest in keeping the business open,” he said. “It’s now off the market.”
At 11 a.m. on Sunday, the upstairs bar was packed with Seattle Seahawks fans. The Hideaway Café downstairs was also filled with brunchers.
“It’s business as usual for us. I’m booking bands into June,” bar manager Linda Regan said.
Hopkins said the company decided three months ago not to accept any long-stay tenants. It also blocked out the reservation system beyond Oct. 1.
“No one was affected,” Hopkins said.
