Sale price of controversial Airport Inn in Lake Country drops more than $1 million

Now that the notorious Airport Inn Lakeside has been boarded up and fenced off for almost a year, owner Raif Fleihan has dropped $1.2 million from his asking price for the property.

“He’s very motivated and he’ll work with terms,” Royal LePage Kelowna realtor Jean McBride told iNFOnews.ca.

Fleihan put the 5.5 acre parcel and numerous motel buildings overlooking Highway 97 in Lake Country up for sale in 2019 for $8.1 million.

READ MORE: Infamous motel in Lake Country listed for over $8M

That came after years of conflict with the District of Lake Country and health inspectors and before it was ordered closed and boarded up last fall.

READ MORE: Airport Inn owner not afraid of getting the boot from Lake Country officials

McBride has it listed now for $6.9 million but said Fleihan is willing to negotiate.

B.C. Assessment valued the land at $2.2 million as of July 2019 and the buildings at only $187,000.

But, McBride pointed out, that assessment doesn’t take into account significant underground work Fleihan did and retaining walls he built that enhance the value of the property.

“He’s just selling the land,” McBride said. “He doesn’t want to guarantee the buildings.”

It would be up to the buyer to decide whether to demolish the buildings or renovate.

“Some of the buildings are newer and some of the rooms were almost totally redone,” McBride said.

Fleihan had a number of people renting rooms from him and it took some weeks to find alternate housing for them before everything could be boarded up last fall.

Ruth Sulentich, a communications officer with Lake Country, said their bylaw officer and the RCMP check on the site and confirmed that no one is living there now.

But, she said, it’s up to the owner to maintain the site.

That’s not something Fleihan is likely to do.

“When the city came and shut him down, he was supposed to pay $1,500 a day for security,” McBride said. “He said forget it. He said you guys have shut me down, you look after it. You guys locked me out. He was willing to stay just for security but they wouldn’t let him.”

In fact, Fleihan was charged with assault last fall and, as a condition of his probation in March, was prohibited from returning to the site.

READ MORE: Notorious Lake Country hotel owner pleads guilty to assault

Despite all the controversy, McBride said she has received a number of calls from potential buyers although no offers have been made yet.

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