Big hotel construction on Sunny Coast horizon?
Will Sunshine Coast resort industry be shaken out of the doldrums with international brand hotel construction?
Normally sod-turning ceremonies are not very exciting, but for global investment company Pro-invest Group the sods of the Sunshine Coast are pure gold. This week’s ceremony to celebrate the commencement of construction on the Holiday Inn Express & Suites, Sunshine Coast is fantastic news for the development of the Sunshine Coast hotel sector.
Why is this construction so groundbreaking? because, not only is the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites a pivotal component of the new Maroochydore CBD, but more importantly it sends a message to hotel developers that they can actually plan, get approved, and then build hotels on the Sunny Coast. Next off the rank should be the Westin at Yaroomba, but it faces a Supreme Court hearing later this month.
Rodger Powell, Board Member of Visit Sunshine Coast outlines just how important this development is, in context for the Sunshine Coast tourism property sector. He says: “This is the first major hotel built on the Sunshine Coast in 30 years. Everything else has been either a strata-titled apartment complex or a motel, and it will open up the Sunshine Coast to new markets seeking the assurance of international hotel brands and hotel facilities and services.”
Moreover, he suggests as it is the closest hotel to the planned Convention Centre it will give confidence to the high-yielding meetings and events planners to bring their business to the Sunshine Coast, and its the first of many internationally branded hotels that will be required if the Sunshine Coast is to win its fair share of the South East Queensland Olympic Games in 2032.
He adds: “This is first business sector hotel that will support the Council’s successful strategy of diversifying the local economy by attracting new industries to the Coast – such as last month’s launch of the Sunshine Coast International Broadband Network and Youi’s establishment of their Global headquarters on the Sunshine Coast.
“The hotel project complements the new runway at Sunshine Coast Airport which has the capacity to change the face of Sunshine Coast tourism over the next decade.”
Pro-invest Group, a global investment firm specialising in private equity real estate and real estate asset management, have commenced construction on the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sunshine Coast in the heart of the new Maroochydore CBD. Pro-invest Co-CEO Jan Smits said the new nine story hotel on First Avenue, Maroochydore will feature 181 rooms, a roof-top swimming pool, bar and dining venue, conference and function facilities, parking and ground-level retail space.
Pro-Invest Group Co-CEO Jan Smits said: “We believe Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sunshine Coast is a great addition to Maroochydore, particularly as the region transitions from a largely leisure-based to a more diversified market with major growth in businesses establishing themselves in the city centre to take advantage of the large-scale infrastructure projects currently underway.
“The Holiday Inn Express brand is ideal for the destination as its midscale positioning will make it highly-suitable for targeting business, meetings and leisure travellers.”
Pro-invest and IHG Hotels & Resorts have enjoyed a highly successful partnership in Australasia over the last decade, with 11 Holiday Inn Express hotels open or in the pipeline, as well as two voco hotels in Auckland and Brisbane as well as a Hotel Indigo in Brisbane, all of which will open later this year.
Mr Smits added: “In alignment with our commitment to sustainability the hotel had been designed to achieve a 5 star NABERS rating, making it the first hotel on the Sunshine Coast to achieve this.”
National construction company Minicon have been engaged to undertake the construction scheduled for May 2022.
Sunshine Coast Council Mayor Mark Jamieson said Pro-invest’s commitment was another vote of confidence in the Maroochydore City Centre and the Sunshine Coast.
He said: “Our Council is very pleased to see this project come out of the ground, at a time when we are encouraging opportunities to support the recovery of our tourism and hospitality industries. This project will provide a significant economic boost to the region with up to 1500 people working on the project during construction as well as 30 full and part time staff employed when the hotel is operational.
“Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sunshine Coast will be an important part of the Maroochydore CBD precinct and will offer brand new, quality hotel accommodation in the heart of our region’s new city centre.”
SunCentral Maroochydore CEO John Knaggs said the development is the fourth major construction project to have commenced within the first stage of the Maroochydore CBD.
“There’s multiple tower cranes and hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of investment currently underway within the Maroochydore CBD, it’s a real hive of activity and it is pleasing to see so many tradespeople and suppliers working onsite each day to create a lasting legacy for future generations,” Mr Knaggs said.
AccomNews is not affiliated with any government agency, body or political party. We are an independently owned, family-operated magazine.
