Red Dog renovations in full swing

The new owner of the Red Dog Inn here is looking at re-opening the business in stages, starting next month.
“Well, I’d like to be open soon,” said Don Lee, the Sioux Lookout businessman who bought the bankrupt hotel. “But it will probably be . . . in the next month.
“I’m probably going to open up a stage at a time,” he added. “Probably the coffee shop and part of the hotel [first].”
Lee took possession of the property Sept. 15. Though he wouldn’t disclose how much he paid for the Red Dog, saying, “It’s confidential,” he did admit he isn’t the sole owner.
“I do have a partner,” he confirmed.
That partner is Kelowna B.C. resident Del Juba.
“He’s a real-estate developer,” noted Lee, who added he hasn’t had much in the way of hotelier experience. He also said Juba would be in town this week to look over the investment.
Meanwhile, Lee continues to work on getting the business ready for operation.
“We’re hard at ’er,” he said of the cleaning process. “[It’s going] very well. We’ve got some good helpers.”
He noted the washing and cleaning is ongoing, and that some of the old employees even have pitched in to help out.
Lee acknowledged there’s been a lot of work to do already since taking possession. Add to that the minor break-in that occurred there last week and things have been hectic.
He described the break-in as a bunch of kids, adding they broke a gum ball machine, kicked in a door, and dumped drink crystals all over the floor but not much else.
“It’s been a hell of a week,” he sighed, though he did have a slight smile on his face.
“It’s a good feeling,” Lee added of finally having ownership. “But I know we’re going to have a big challenge ahead of us.”
He’s planning to open about 30 rooms in his self-imposed timeframe of a month, meaning there is some work to do to get them ready.
“We’re going to renovate and do whatever it needs before it opens,” Lee said of the hotel and the rooms. “Some [rooms] are run down and some are nice.”
And he already is in the process of taking applications to staff the business.
“I started taking applications the day I got here,” he said. “[Former] staff are welcome to apply, but we want to open it up and make it fair game [for anyone interested].”
Lee also confirmed no new negotiations will develop with local businessman Craig Sanders, who owns The Place grocery store next door.
“At this point in time, we’re not interested in selling any part of the building,” Lee said, ending talk that Sanders may purchase the eastern part of the building to expand The Place.
(Fort Frances Times)