Cardston, Alta., restaurant renews effort to sell property via essay contest
Ivan and Marsh Negrych have owned the Cobblestone Manor for the past 20 years and now want to find a new owner for the business who will love it as much as they do.
It's a hot real estate market these days and one southern Alberta business is trying a unique method to stand out from the rest – for the second time.
On Jan. 15, Cardston's Cobblestone Manor launched a new effort to entice a buyer for the 102-year-old business by offering it to anyone who has $500 and a well-written essay.
"Contestants can win the Cobblestone Manor by writing a letter of 300 words or less about their vision for the future of the property," officials said in a news release this week.
The contest closes on July 15, but they could extend that deadline if the 3,000-letter target isn't met.
Simple math suggests that if the required number of letters are received, the owners could gather $1.5 million through the campaign.
The Cobblestone Manor's current owners, Ivan and Marsha Negrych, have operated it as a bed and breakfast for the past 20 years.
In 2019, they also hoped to find a buyer with the same idea, but entries were $100.
At that time, they were looking for 17,000 essays, which would mean $1.7 million for the Negrychs.
But the couple told CTV News during the first campaign that it wasn't about the money – it was to see the business given to someone who could "continue its legacy."
CTV News has reached out to the campaign for details about what happened with the original contest and how many submissions have been received so far for the current one.
The owners have not responded with any of that information.
Alberta Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis (AGLC) said it was not aware of the contest, in an emailed statement Monday.
“However, we are now looking into if we have any role in this matter. As the investigation is ongoing, I can’t comment further,” an AGLC spokesperson said in the email.
Anyone interested in entering the new campaign can seek more information by emailing winthecobblestone@gmail.com.
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