The Fairmont Palliser, formerly known as the Palliser Hotel, is a hotel of the Canada-based Fairmont Hotels and Resorts chain. The hotel opened in 1914 and is located in downtown Calgary, Alberta, at 133 9 Avenue SW adjacent to the Calgary Tower and Palliser Square. The Palliser is one of Calgary's oldest and most luxurious hotels.
History
When the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) pushed west in 1883, Calgary was essentially a North-West Mounted Police post and trading centre. With an influx of tourists, mainly en route to CPR's Banff Springs Hotel, a hospitality spot in Calgary was an essential link.
To encourage the CPR to build the hotel, Calgary City Council offered an exemption on property from taxation, but the CPR would be subject to additional police and fire protection fees, and pave part of 9th Avenue.[1] Groundbreaking for the building was on May 12, 1911, on property owned by the CPR.[2] It was built by P. Lyall and Sons Construction Company with materials such as stone, steel, reinforced concrete and brick at a cost of $1,500,000.