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Mystery writ filed against company behind St Regis hotel plan

A mystery writ has been filed with Supreme Court against the company behind the proposed St Regis hotel and condos in Hamilton, which at one time was scheduled to open this year.A company called Smart Firm Investments is taking legal action against Par-la-Ville Hotel and Residences Ltd. The writ was filed late last month.Par-la-Ville Hotel company president Michael MacLean said yesterday he knew nothing about the writ and would be in touch with his counsel.Hamilton Mayor Graeme Outerbridge said he had no comment either and was not aware of the writ.When asked for an update on the planned St Regis project, Mr Outerbridge said “things are progressing”. He could not give a time frame for breaking ground at this stage.“It’s a process,” he said.Mr MacLean said financing was in place and the project would proceed “soon”.A spokesman for Tourism Minister Shawn Crockwell said he will be meeting with the (existing) Tourism Board on Monday “and he expects to be better briefed about all hotel development issues following that meeting”.Last October it emerged that Par-La-Ville Hotel company was taking legal action against Citic Securities International Company, apparently a subsidiary of China’s largest listed brokerage. That writ was filed October 10.Mr MacLean, the head of M&M Construction, had declined to comment on the reason for the Citic writ.He replaced Donal Smith at Par-La-Ville Hotel company, whose US-based principal is Ted Adams of Unified Resorts.The St Regis project has “in principle” planning approval to build nine storeys on the Church Street side and ten storeys on the Par-la-Ville side, with three levels of underground parking. In addition to 140 hotel rooms the luxury development was granted permission for 80 St Regis residences.Plans for a hotel at the Par-la-Ville were first announced in 2007 with Ritz Carlton attached.Starwood was named as a new partner in 2009, when it was stated the hotel would open in 2013.