$100 Million Luxury Hotel Proposed for Dunedin’s Waterfront

$100 Million Luxury Five Star Hotel Proposed for Dunedin’s Waterfront

Tourism industry and regional economic development set to benefit

11 May 2012

Plans for a five star, 28-storey luxury hotel, proposed for Dunedin’s waterfront, were revealed today at an event at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium. The hotel will position the city as a high-end tourism destination and provide a major boost to the region’s economic development.

The proposed hotel will be the tallest building in Dunedin by a significant margin providing uninterrupted views across the city either to Swampy Summit or the Otago peninsula. It will comprise both hotel and apartment accommodation, a swimming pool, a rooftop restaurant, car parks and a penthouse presidential suite.

The $100 million development is currently going through the resource consent process and is destined for completion by 2015.

Representative for the developer, Steve Rodgers from Rodgers Law, says Dunedin has been in desperate need of a five star hotel for decades.

“A five-star hotel will generate an increase in luxury visitor numbers to the region as well as provide a high quality facility supporting conferences and events.

“There is simply insufficient accommodation within the city to satisfy at peak times such as concerts and big games at the Forsyth Barr Stadium, and to cope with the graduation demands of the University and Polytechnic.”

Hamish Saxton, CEO of Tourism Dunedin, says the proposed hotel development will elevate Dunedin as a destination both domestically and internationally and help ensure the city is included in the itineraries of high end leisure and business travellers.

“The announcement signals a confidence in Dunedin - both as a business centre and as a destination of value and untapped potential.

“The intention to develop a five-star, internationally branded hotel in Dunedin is of enormous significance to the local visitor economy. It will give us relevance, confidence, an enhanced marketing message - putting Dunedin well and truly on the international map,” he says.

Steve Rodgers says the team of international architects, represented by New Zealand architect Gordon Moller of Moller Architects, was briefed to design a tall, elegant building with high quality aesthetics which would be recognised for its design excellence.

“The aluminum framed textured facades of the building create a landmark architectural design which would be one of a kind in Dunedin. The tall, elegant form of the building, the extensive use of glass and an all season entertainment rooftop area are the key architectural features,” he says.

Otago-based businessman, Sir Eion Edgar, says the proposed hotel is an expression of confidence in the future of Dunedin and New Zealand as a whole.

“Like the stadium, a development of this scale is vital for economic, academic, tourism and cultural growth and embodies the innovation and leadership, which the city of Dunedin represents.”

Key Facts

• At 28 stories will be the tallest building in Dunedin by a significant margin
• Accommodation for up to 430 guests but more likely a regular occupancy of 200
• Would provide Dunedin with over 20 per cent extra hotel beds
• Will comprise of:
o 164 apartments, all with harbour views, comprising a total of 13,843 square metres
o 215 hotel rooms, comprising a total of 18,746 square metres
o 121 car parks
o A swimming pool, a rooftop restaurant, and a penthouse presidential suite.

Facts about Dunedin

• Tourism is estimated to be worth approximately 3.7% of Dunedin’s GDP ($167m) (Dunedin City Council)

• Tourism is estimated to account for 5.1% of Dunedin’s employment (2526 FTEs) (Dunedin City Council)

• Dunedin attracts over 860,000 visitor nights per annum (Commercial Accommodation Monitor)

• The average length of stay in Dunedin is approximately 1.73 nights (Commercial Accommodation Monitor)

• Dunedin’s top international markets:
o Australia
o UK
o USA
o Germany
o China

• Dunedin secured 2.7% of New Zealand’s total commercial accommodation market

• In 2011, Dunedin hotel occupancy at 58.92% was slightly higher than the national rate of 56.55%

• The main reasons to visit Dunedin in 2011 were:
o Holiday (45%)
o Visiting Friends and Relatives (22%)
o Business (12%)
o Conference or Convention (5%)
o Education or Study (4%)

• By 2015 more than 1 million passengers are forecast to pass through Dunedin International Airport

ENDS

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