Mystery over hotel hold- up
A PROPOSAL to build a luxury hotel near the new CBD stadium is yet to be approved despite Townsville City Council and Focus Pacific having been expected to reach an arrangement last month.
The council signed a memorandum of understanding with Hilton Hotels in August to exclusively negotiate on a plan to build a seven- storey hotel in the stadium precinct.
The plan is for a 4 ½ - star, 175- bed hotel – to be run by the Hilton subsidiary DoubleTree.
The Bulletin reported at the time that a final decision was due in November.
Mayor Jenny Hill said yesterday that the council was entering final negotiations.
“We’re very close and I would like to think that an announcement can be made before Christmas,” she said. “The negotiations have been very advantageous for the community but until we’ve signed on the dotted line, it’s still commercial in confidence.”
When the Bulletin asked why the negotiations were still going, Cr Hill said the process was like any other commercial negotiation with a private firm.
“You’ve got to try and strike the balance where the outcomes are best for our community and ensuring the program will still go ahead,” she said.
Townsville Chamber of Commerce president Debbie Rains said it would be great for the city to have another international brand hotel chain.
“It signals support for the region and growth for the area because it’s a huge investment on their behalf,” she said.
“It’s a huge sign of confidence in the area.”
Ms Rains said she did not know why the decision was taking so long.
“I don’t know where it’s been held up in securing approvals, but I would like to think it’s not the council because we’re all very supportive of it,” she said.
“I haven’t heard anything directly about other hotels’ concerns but I have heard that indirectly.
“We have peak times when you can’t get accommodation so that would have a detrimental effect on other events happening in the city.
“Sometimes you have to build it and they will come. If we have the capacity, we’re going to be considered for some of those events and conferences that we may not currently be in the running for.”
Townsville Enterprise tourism and events director Bridget Woods said the stadium was a catalytic project for the CBD.
“To have an investment of this calibre from the Hilton DoubleTree brand is an encouraging sign for our region’s future,” she said.
“A hotel development was always a part of the bigger picture of the stadium’s development and it is positive to see this coming to fruition.”