Sunray Group Will Build a Premium Marriott Hotel in Wasaga Beach on Beach Drive at Beach Area 1

The award-winning hotelier will invest over $45 million to build a Marriott hotel and other amenities near the Town’s iconic beachfront and main tourism area; construction is expected to begin in early 2026

“Today Sunray Group has confirmed they will build a Marriott hotel next to our spectacular beachfront, including shops, cafes, restaurants and more. This historic, $45 million investment will complement smaller, family-owned inns and cottages, and restaurants in our community – it represents local jobs, higher-value tourism and multi-day visits to Wasaga Beach, which will support our small businesses. Wasaga Beach is excited to partner with Sunray Group, as we continue to redevelop our beachfront commercial area and unlock our community's full potential to become a thriving, year-round destination. ” – Mayor Brian Smith

WASAGA BEACH – The Town of Wasaga Beach has unveiled the brand name of the over $45 million beachfront hotel that will be built next to the town’s iconic Beach Drive at Beach Area 1 – and it’s a Marriott.

Sunray Group CEO, Ray Gupta, joined Mayor Brian Smith and members of Council to make the announcement earlier today. The announcement follows on the heels of Premier Doug Ford’s visit to Wasaga Beach last Friday, where he announced Ontario is investing $38 million to increase tourism in Wasaga Beach.

Sunray Group will now move forward with plans to build an approximately 120-room Marriott hotel in phase one of what will be a four-phase project near the town’s iconic beachfront.

Image Featuring Marriott BonVoy Brands and Logos

In phase one, Sunray Group will invest over $45 million to build the Marriott hotel. They will pay full development charges for all four phases of the project. The company will also invest $1.5 million to design and build a “Festival Square” next to the hotel, near the beachfront, which will be used by the municipality for outdoor entertainment and special events.

The Town and Sunray have also entered into a joint venture, profit-sharing agreement for three additional phases of development, which are expected to include additional amenities and residences near Beach Area 1. Sunray is currently exploring opportunities to affiliate these residences with Marriott Residences, which would potentially offer homeowners the ability to place their units into a rental pool. This is a model is similar to one used at the Village at Blue Mountain.

Construction is expected to begin in early 2026. In phase one, the Marriott hotel will include the following year-round elements:

a high-quality restaurant
convention facilities
fitness, spa or pool area
commercial shops
wedding facilities

Construction of a Marriott hotel near the beachfront will support the revitalization of the town’s main commercial area along Beach Drive, which is the economic engine of the community, which is one of Ontario’s fastest growing municipalities. It will strengthen the town’s seasonal tourism economy by enabling high-value, multi-day visits to Wasaga Beach. It will also help to advance other economic development goals, including:

elevating the Wasaga Beach tourism brand;
attracting other world-class brand partnerships and experiences; and
developing Wasaga Beach into a year-round Ontario destination.

Sunray Group will now prepare to refine site and design plans based on community feedback.

Quotes

Ray Gupta, President and CEO, Sunray Group of Hotels:

“Sunray Group of Hotels is proud to be investing in the community of Wasaga Beach – the longest freshwater beach in the world. I have a strong connection to this beautiful community and to Beach Area 1. This is where I spent a lot of time as a youth – I have amazing memories of family vacations spent enjoying the beach and the sun and all of the fun activities.

Our family operated a seasonal business called Beach Bazaar on the main boardwalk in Wasaga Beach back in 1976. During the summer season, we sold clothing, jewelry, and other beachside essentials. One of my brothers managed the store full-time, while I helped out on weekends.

Interestingly, the location of Beach Bazaar was close to the site of our current hotel development. While our days were busy running the store, the evenings offered a chance to unwind, socialize with friends and soak in the natural beauty of the area. Those early experiences gave me a lasting appreciation for this vibrant beach community, and they continue to inspire my connection to Wasaga Beach today.

I’m beyond excited to come back to this community, in this moment, in a position to help make the current Council’s vision come to life. Sunray Group looks forward to delivering a Marriott hotel experience – including restaurants, shops and a beautiful new public events space next to the hotel – that will serve the town’s full time residents, delight its over two million visitors, and cement the town’s position as a spectacular Canadian destination.”

Quick facts

Wasaga Beach is the longest freshwater beach in the world.
Each year the Town of Wasaga Beach welcomes over 2 million visitors who enjoy the world’s longest freshwater beach, live music festivals, events, restaurants, food trucks and shops along the town’s iconic Beach Drive at Beach Area 1.
Sunray will invest over $45 million to build the new Marriott hotel in Wasaga Beach at Beach Area 1; the project is expected to create over 100 jobs.
Wasaga Beach has been working to attract a premium-brand hotel to the beachfront for decades.