Building set to start on Tigers hotel and car park
£22M SCHEME ON LAND EITHER SIDE OF THE CLUB STADIUM
WORK will get under way within the next few weeks on a £22 million hotel and multi-storey car park at the Leicester Tigers stadium.
Builders will start preliminary work on the two big projects, which will sit on the northern and southern sides of the Welford Road Stadium, on March 23.
The 183-room hotel is going up on the former 1.7-acre Granby Halls site, which has been an NCP car park since the leisure venue was bulldozed.
It will include an underground car park, 35,500 sq ft of reception, lounge and dining areas, as well as a business centre, shops and a lobby opening up on to an outdoor fan zone in front of the Holland & Barrett Stand.
It will also have a fitness suite, restaurant and fifth-floor “sky bar” on top of the car park.
Work will start at the same time on the other side of the stadium on a multi-storey car park in place of the current Crumbie parking area behind The Breedon Stand.
It is understood Leicester Royal Infirmary will take the lion’s share of the 849 spaces in the structure, which is set to cost about £11 million.
About 750 spaces will be used by hospital staff for permit parking, with the remaining 99 for Tigers’ staff and conference guests.
Yorkshire property developer Marshall Commercial Property Development will build the car park and hotel and has been working with Leicester construction consultancy Pick Everard.
Tigers said the NCP car park will be closed by March 20.
Club chief executive Simon Cohen said the starting date for the hotel marked a huge step for the club, which first announced the plans in July 2017.
Mr Cohen said: “This is an important project to add to the city centre’s facilities and to support the long-term vision around our stadium.
“It is exciting to be at the stage now where construction can begin and we look forward to working with everyone involved in the development.”
The club said construction work will cause some disruption around the stadium and it will be putting out further details in due course.
Supporters who have seasonal parking with the club will not be affected, but those in hospitality who usually park in the NCP or Crumbie car park will be notified about the changes.
A spokesman for the club said there was no update on an announcement made last summer that Tigers were looking for a new owner.
He said “the process is ongoing”.