Prince Edward Island's oldest vacation resort has undergone
a 21st-century makeover. The new Stanhope Beach Resort,
formerly known as Stanhope by the Sea, celebrated its grand
opening today after receiving extensive upgrades.The property was purchased in late 2005 by a group led by
Michael, Kevin and Danny Murphy. The Murphy family began
renovations in January 2006 and the resort reopened in May
2006. The renovated resort has become one of the Island's
premiere historic resorts, offering modern, high-quality
facilities while at the same time preserving the integrity
of this important heritage property. Dating back to 1789,
the Stanhope Beach Resort has been a hotel since 1855,
making it the oldest standing vacation resort on Prince
Edward Island."A strong tourism industry means job creation,
opportunities and economic growth for Atlantic Canadians,"
said the Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities
Agency (ACOA). "The renovated Stanhope Beach Resort will
serve the growing resort destination market while at the
same time preserving an important Island heritage property."ACOA has provided a $500,000 repayable loan for the
upgrades under its Business Development Program. "We look forward to helping meet the demand for resort
accommodations in the area," said co-owner Michael
Murphy. "We plan to hire an additional 75 people next year
so guests may receive the highest quality service when they
stay with us. We hope that keeps people coming back to
Stanhope year after year."Redevelopment plans which include physical improvements,
service enhancements and re-branding the property will be
undertaken in phases over five years. Work completed to
date includes grounds improvements and new furnishings,
complete renovations to the main lodge, a new restaurant
and lounge offering casual fine dining and modern meeting
facilities. Additional work is scheduled to be completed by
spring 2007.To enhance customer service and the quality of
accommodation, the number of units at the new resort has
been reduced from 118 units to 90. The new units will range
from upscale rooms to executive cottages to apartment-style
suites, all located in a village setting with the original
lodge as the focal point. With these changes, it is
anticipated that the property's Canada Select rating will
increase from 3 to 4.5 stars.
FOR BROADCAST USE:PEI's oldest vacation resort has received a 21st-century
makeover. The new Stanhope Beach Resort, formerly Stanhope
by the Sea, has undergone renovations to make it one of the
Island's premier historic summer resorts. Work done to date
includes grounds improvements and new furnishings, and more
work is planned for 2007. Foreign Affairs and ACOA Minister Peter MacKay says the project
preserves an important heritage property while appealing to
the growing resort destination market. ACOA provided a
$500,000 loan for the improvements under its Business
Development Program. Co-owner Mike Murphy said he plans to
hire an additional 75 people next year to work at the new
resort.
For more information, please contact:
Krista Kelly
ACOA PEI and Tourism
902-566-7569
Michael Murphy
Stanhope Beach Resort
902-892-0606
