Yeah, I think it was supposed to only take about 4 or 5 years, but then COVID shutdowns paused things, and supply chain disruptions slowed things, and a post-pandemic surge in tourism prompted them to rethink the amount of the hotel rooms taken out-of-service for the renovations.

It's curious that the Royal York Hotel and the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, who both with the same owners (Quebec pension fund), and both who did (or are doing) an extensive top-to-bottom renovation, took two very different paths. They closed the QEH completely for more than a year, to just get it done. They're doing the RYH renovations, which are just as extensive, while remaining open, but taking much longer. I think I prefer the former approach, and just get it done. I suppose the risk of closing completely to renovate, is regular customers and conventions find a new home, and all of your staff disappear and need to be recruited and trained all over again.