Refurbishment project will bring bustle, hotelier says
A NEW hotel should bring a boost in tourism to Invercargill, hotelier Geoff Thomson believes as he pushes ahead with plans to convert the old Menzies Building into a 150room 4.5star hotel by September next year.
Mr Thompson bought the building last year with the plan to develop it into a hotel.
He also bought the former Southland Frozen Meats building with plans for its development into residential accommodation for hotel staff.
WSP New Zealand planner Luke McSoriley, who is assisting Distinction Hotels with the project, spoke to the Invercargill City Council with Mr Thompson on Tuesday and asked the council to come on board to help integrate lower Esk St with the CBD.
‘‘In our view, Esk St West is badly in need of some changes and this is a really good opportunity to revitalise that part of town, and also in doing that achieve some really positive urban design outcomes,’’ he said.
Mr Thomson said he had already begun marketing Invercargill’s tourism opportunities to the sale industry.
‘‘We’re pushing like mad to get tour coaches into Invercargill, to get tourism into Invercargill.’’
Addressing the council, he said ideally the hotel should have some connectivity to the CBD.
‘‘We’ve now got the railway station being filled up, so there’s going to be a lot of people down that end of Esk St — you’re looking at a few hundred extra people that could be wandering around the CBD.’’
Mr Thomson said he hoped to start selling the rooms from September next year.
‘‘If we can get the supply chains to keep up with things, we’d like to think we’d be open by then. But if we aren’t, we’ll work around that at the time.’’
Cr Ian Pottinger asked Mr Thomson if the rising construction and supply costs were seen as a problem or a possible deterrent.
‘‘I’m getting old and stupid and I’m not really worried about the cost, it’s about the outcome,’’ Mr Thomson said.
‘‘So for me, if it costs me a lot more than it should and I don’t get a return, I don’t mind. This is not done in a normal business model.’’