New City Hotel Plans Well Underway, With September 2023 Opening
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Distinction Hotels is pushing ahead with its plans for a new 4.5 star, 150 room hotel in the Invercargill City Centre, and owner Geoff Thomson said he doesn’t care what it costs.
The Invercargill-based businessman owns Distinction Hotels all over New Zealand including Dunedin and Te Anau, and addressed councillors at the Annual Plan submission process today.
When asked if he was deterred by rising construction costs and delays in the construction industry, Geoff said he was not interested in whether he made a return on this project.
He was more interested in helping boost the local tourism market and bring more visitors south.
“I’m getting old and stupid and I’m not really worried about the cost – it’s about the outcome,” he said.
Purchasing the old Government department Menzies Building in Esk Street West, he plans to reclad it and add new facades, along with turning the old Southland Frozen Meats building into staff accommodation.
The council has confirmed it has received an application for conversion of the building and demolition works, along with height extension works over 10m.
Geoff told the hearing that he hoped to start selling rooms for the new hotel ready for September 2023.
He said they were still months away from getting the architectural and engineering works finalised, and progressing both the resource and building consents.
Taking up a substantial part of Esk Street West, the reason for the company’s submission was to start a discussion with council about its plans, and to work in with the CBD streetscape upgrade.
The project would be quite a substantial redevelopment of this part of the inner city, and he was hopeful of integrating and connecting the hotel with the CBD.
“Esk Street West is badly in need of some changes and this is a good opportunity to revitalise that part of town.”
Key staff would be brought in from his other hotels and he also planned to bring in skilled staff from overseas to work in the new hotel.
Geoff told the hearing he was using the same architect for the project that was used on the Dunedin Distinction Hotel, and which also won a heritage award for its car parking area.
Once open the new hotel will have 150 guest rooms and complement other inner-city projects currently in progress, including the Invercargill Central, HWR Office Block and the Langlands Hotel.