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end of an era

Black Knight Inn goes into receivership

Aug 19, 2020 | 8:00 PM

It’s the end of an era for a locally-owned landmark.

The Black Knight Inn, a fixture along Gaetz Avenue in south Red Deer since 1980, has gone into receivership.

As of August 7 it is in the hands of insolvency trustee MNP, according to a letter to creditors.

The 98-room hotel owned by Ken Mandrusiak featured a popular restaurant, lounge and meeting rooms and was the long-time home of Central Alberta Theatre (CAT).

CAT president Craig Scott says he and his group are sad to see the Black Knight Inn go.

“We certainly have had a great relationship with them and we wish all of their staff, who we were very close to, all the best. We hope that whoever does take over the Black Knight Inn keeps up with the quality it has always provided to all of its customers over the years,” he said.

Scott says CAT, which has hosted the majority of its productions at the Black Knight Inn for the last 30 years, has reached a deal in principle with Festival Hall to be their new home going forward.

“Central Alberta Theatre will service and thrive,” Scott reassured. “We’ll continue to do dinner theatres and live productions.”

The demise of the Black Knight Inn Ticket Centre will mean a change to how tickets are sold for future live events in Red Deer. An official with the Memorial Centre say none of the tickets purchased through the ticket office for upcoming shows at their venue are being refunded unless they were purchased by credit card, and that those seeking a refund are advised to contact their credit card company as soon as possible.

Darrel Dixon with the Memorial Centre in Red Deer says there are likely other online options available for selling tickets for future shows, once they’re able to host them again, while keeping in mind some form of in-person buying option will still be needed.