Convention Center work to shut down Shenanigan’s

Shenanigan’s Restaurant will close for six months beginning Nov. 1 due to construction on the Convention Center expansion.

When the expansion is complete in 2006, Shenanigan’s will have one of the prime locations in Spokane, sandwiched between the new 100,000-square-foot exhibit hall and the DoubleTree Hotel.

However, “getting there’s going to be a little painful,” said Kevin Twohig, executive director of the Spokane Public Facilities District, which is overseeing the project. In a few weeks, Shenanigan’s won’t have any parking and the land around it will be torn up as crews prepare to lay new water and sewer lines, Twohig said.

The restaurant anticipates holding a grand reopening on May 1, said General Manager Natalia Peterson.

“By then, Lord willing, weather will permit and we can have pavement in our parking lot,” said Peterson, who says she’s working with the restaurant’s executive chef to find new or temporary jobs for the eatery’s 60 employees.

The PFD paid Shenanigan’s owner, Ram International, $3 million in December for 34,000 square feet of land, and view and construction easements. Twohig said the work plan and schedule has not changed from what was originally negotiated.

Ram International knew the winter would be tough but thought Shenanigan’s might be able to stay open, said Regional Manager Kevin Martinez. However, as the time has drawn closer, Ram has realized Shenanigan’s would have to close, he said.

“We all knew it was going to be tough. They’ve (the PFD) always been pretty up front with us,” Martinez said. “We just thought we’d wait and see what comes. It became unworkable.”

Peterson said a staff meeting was held Thursday to inform employees that they would be out of work for six months. “It’s kind of hit them quickly,” Peterson said. “We told them as soon as we knew. We just felt really bad for everyone in this whole restaurant.”

But the response of Spokane’s hospitality industry has helped ease the pain, Martinez said.

“The restaurant community, hotel community has been nothing short of marvelous in offering to help us out in finding replacement work for our staff,” Martinez said. “It’s kind of tough to give your people away, but my goodness they have to work. Hopefully they’ll remember us well enough and come back.”

Shenanigan’s is going to take the opportunity to remodel the restaurant while it is closed, Peterson said. Two small banquet rooms will be converted to one large one, with a divider. The woodwork will be touched up, and the kitchen will be upgraded, she said.

“When the convention center opens, we need to be ready for it,” she said.