Mystery solved: Love will be in the mountain air as The Bachelorette takes over Jasper Park Lodge
American reality series confirmed to be moving into hotel for 9 weeks
The mystery surrounding a 65-day booking at an iconic hotel in Jasper, Alta., has been solved — and the Rocky Mountain resort will need to stock up on some lush, long-stemmed roses.
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge will serve as a romantic backdrop for the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, a source familiar with the production, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed with CBC News.
The cast and crew of the American reality series, which is entering its 17th season, will be on location at the resort between Feb. 23 and April 29.
The ABC television network series follows a woman's search for the perfect mate, allowing the lead contestant to choose a fiancé from a slate of eligible bachelors.
Suitors who do not receive a rose during a ceremony at the end of each episode are eliminated from the often salacious race down the aisle.
Rumours about the production started swirling on Tuesday when hotel officials confirmed that all 446 rooms at the historic Jasper resort had been reserved for a nine-week private booking but declined to divulge any details.
Guests who had previously made reservations for that time had their bookings cancelled, fuelling speculation that the hotel could soon be a filming site.
ABC has not responded to requests for comment and as of Wednesday afternoon a spokesman for Jasper National Park said officials had not received a request for a film permit. A permit would be required if any commercial filming was being done in the park, including the hotel.
It's unclear how provincial and federal health restrictions might affect production of the show.
When Dr. Deena Hinshaw was asked about the booking during her regular COVID-19 update on Tuesday, Alberta's chief medical officer of health said the province is working to establish a framework for the film and television industry to ensure productions can proceed safely.
"As we look to any decisions that we make, No. 1 is whether or not there's any risk to the public, whether any of the activities could potentially cause spread or cause a public risk," she said Tuesday.
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"And then, No. 2, as we consider any potential requests for exemptions, we also consider the broader public interest and what might be in that broader public interest. And again that's part of these considerations as we look to this film industry framework that we're working on."
Star-studded century
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge's sprawling collection of heritage log cabins and other buildings spread out over 700 acres has hosted a star-studded list of guests since opening in the Rocky Mountain park more than a century ago.
The mountain-view property has served as a backdrop for numerous film and television productions, including classics like Rose Marie (1936) and Country Beyond (1926) and The Emperor Waltz (1948).
Celebrities, including Bing Crosby and Marilyn Monroe, graced the property. The lodge is also favoured by the Royal Family, having hosted King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1939, and Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 2005.