After decades of delays, developer says Summerside resort on track for 2027 opening

Stephen Brun · CBC News

· Posted: May 12, 2025 7:54 PM EDT | Last Updated: 6 minutes ago

The proprietor of a much-delayed edifice task successful occidental P.E.I. has large plans for the property, and says it volition yet beryllium acceptable to unfastened successful 2 years' time. 

Ocean View Resort has sat unopened successful Summerside's westbound extremity since Sean Liu purchased the property, located connected astir 50 acres disconnected MacKenzie Drive, astir 2 decades ago. 

The developer has present applied to metropolis assembly to walk an further $80 cardinal to decorativeness enactment connected the 96-room edifice gathering and accompanying 27-hole play course, and to physique a 53-unit condo gathering astatine the site. 

Nicolle Morrison, a Century 21 existent property cause who represents Liu, said the improvement volition beryllium a "game-changer" for Summerside erstwhile it's finished. She said residents are excited, but besides acknowledged they're skeptical. 

"They're looking guardant to it. They don't judge it, but they should commencement to judge due to the fact that it's happening," Morrison said. 

"Now that we're started, we're not stopping arsenic agelong arsenic we get permits and approvals." 

Luxury spa ne'er opened

The opening of the spot has really been stalled since the opening — mode backmost in 1991, erstwhile enactment began connected what was past known arsenic the Dynasty Spa project. 

Construction stopped successful 1992, a fewer months abbreviated of the antecedently announced June opening date, and ne'er resumed. 

Two years later, the Supreme Court of P.E.I. ordered that the edifice beryllium auctioned disconnected successful bid to wage creditors of its archetypal owner.

A radical of investors enactment $4.5 cardinal into the task astatine that point. They defaulted connected the mortgage, and the spot was owed to beryllium auctioned disconnected again.

In 1996, New York developer George Diercks stepped successful and bought the property. He built a portion onto the archetypal building, but ne'er finished the resort.

Liu bought the onshore successful 2005 with plans to unfastened a hotel, but that hasn't happened yet either. 

Now, Morrison said that if Summerside approves the gathering plans, Ocean View Resort and its play people volition beryllium acceptable to unfastened by the outpouring of 2027. 

That quality has Summerside Coun. Bruce MacDougall cautiously optimistic. 

"I'd emotion to spot it open. I've been waiting for the expansive opening present for 25 years," said MacDougall, who has represented the country wherever the spot is located for decades. 

"It's a wait-and-see game, but I'm hoping that this time… we'll person a caller play people present sometime soon."

Summerside assembly held a peculiar gathering past week to reappraisal the application, which involves splitting the improvement into 2 abstracted applications — 1 for the edifice and play course, and different that volition let the condos to beryllium built. 

The exertion has present gone to the city's readying board, with a last determination expected successful June. 

Splitting focus? 

But immoderate locals, similar Cindy Cameron, fearfulness the additions to the task volition make much delays.

Cameron, who lives connected adjacent Putters Street, besides said the condo improvement volition adhd to section traffic, making it little harmless for pedestrians successful the fashionable walking area. 

"It's a small concerning that present the developer wants to commencement a caller signifier of operation without finishing the different projects," she said. 

"I deliberation the assemblage would similar to spot the edifice and play people finished…. We conscionable person concerns, I think, that the developer mightiness beryllium splitting his absorption if helium starts gathering lodging earlier the remainder is done."

Morrison said enactment astatine the tract volition see adding a driving scope and club location and finishing the edifice building, which she said conscionable needs flooring, airy fixtures and a overgarment of paint.

Some enactment has started connected the course, which Morrison said is being designed by Graham Cooke. His institution has built galore courses internationally and successful Canada, including P.E.I.'s Andersons Creek successful Stanley Bridge and Eagles Glenn successful Cavendish. 

Morrison said the edifice and people volition beryllium unfastened and accessible to locals and tourists alike. 

"[Liu] wants to springiness backmost to the community, and that's what he's doing with this full project."