The Mayor of Mount Pearl says it was devastating to see Hotel Mount Pearl burn to the ground.

Dave Aker says there are many memories that go with Hotel Mount Pearl, formerly known as Chateau Park, built in 1978.

The 28-room hotel has decades of history, and was the centerpiece of the City for a long time, claims Aker.

He says it was the place to go to socialize for weddings and receptions, and was more recently used for meetings and training grounds.

It was shocking to see it essentially leveled by fire, says Aker.

The Fire Department still has control of the scene as the site remains hazardous. But, Aker says they will be meeting with the owners and the fire department sometime later today to discuss the next steps.

Once it’s released from the fire department, Aker says they will look at the next phase and transitioning into any hazard remediation that has to be done, as well as demolition.

Then, the City’s Economic Development staff will sit down with the owners and discuss how they want to redevelop the site.

Aker says as much as the blaze hurts the owners, it’s also important to think of the numerous staff of the hotel, who are now out of work.