Thomson report

He is one of the sharpest businessmen in the Okanagan Valley. I am writing about David Prystay the general manager of Lakeside Resort, Conference Centre and Casino in Penticton. The property in Penticton is part of the RPB Hotels group owned by the Prystay and Rosen families. RPB Hotels and Resorts in British Columbia include the Best Western Vernon Lodge, Best Western Sands by the Sea in Vancouver, Kelowna Ramada Lodge and Penticton Lakeside.

The company took over the Lakeside property in May 1993 and has made some significant changes to the spot created originally by a financial group for the Delta Hotels of Toronto and managed by them for a number of years. Lake City Casinos, in partnership with the hotel, built the only casino in the south Okanagan in the hotel in the May opening in 2000. Over the years the entire conference floor was reconfigured to add more space and has become a valuable asset for the chain. Then in April of 2005, in a bold move, a special dining site was built on the lake off the shore from the hotel and it was named The Hooded Merganser after the famed bird. It has become the place to eat in the south Okanagan and many, myself included, travel to Penticton to do just that.

Now it is time for another change. He has gutted the Magnums On The Late dining room for a brand new concept, the Il Saporito Tapas Parlour. David
says he will open June 1 with this seventy-seat addition. There are workers everywhere as they prepare this new experience for guests. Special woods, fireplaces and granite everywhere are being added to the newly designed room with a look at the lake through the large windows. It will be open from 5-11pm seven days a week. The furniture and marble being used are all from Canadian sources. It will feature Italian cuisine. It looks very impressive and will become an added feature for the resort.