Home > Vietnam > Vietnam Travel News > KBC replaces Japan investor in Hanoi’s major hotel project |
KBC replaces Japan investor in Hanoi’s major hotel project
Authorities of Hanoi City have allowed Kinh Bac
City Development Shareholding Corporation (KBC) to replace a Japanese investor
in an upscale hotel project worth some US$500 million in the capital city.
KBC under Saigon Invest Group will replace Japan’s Riviera Corporation in
developing the Lotus Hotel project southwest of Me Tri Commune at a prime
location on Pham Hung Road near the National Convention Center.
Riviera, which beat South Korea’s Keangnam Group and five other bidders to win
the high-profile five-star Lotus Hotel project over two years ago, finally
decided to quit the costly plan.
Under Riviera’s initial plan, construction on the project was scheduled for
completion later this year or early next year, but in fact the project is still
on paper now. As soon as Riviera announced its withdrawal from the project a few
months ago, a host of domestic investors have expressed their readiness to
develop the project.
KBC was chosen among many big domestic companies including the Vietnam
Construction and Import-Export Corporation (Vinaconex), Hoang Thanh Investment
and Infrastructure Development Corporation, and Thien Thanh Production Trade and
Construction.
The project will undergo numerous changes under the new investor.
The Ministry of Construction has approved a height limit of 35 stories for the
project instead of the initial plan of 15 stories. The total floor space will
nearly quadruple to 300,000 square meters to include a five-star hotel of 800
rooms plus commercial facilities and offices.
KBC said that it would develop the project as a landmark in Hanoi, pledging to
start work on the project next year. The first-phase development will be carried
out within two years.
The company has also worked with banks and financial organizations to finance
the project.
Years ago, Japan’s Riviera and South Korea’s Keangnam beat several other
competitors to enter the final round, then the Japanese won the only ticket in
March 2007 to develop the hotel. Authorities then expected the project would be
completed in time for the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi City.
Upon receiving the investment certificate in 2007, Riviera and its partners CSK
Finance Company promised to complete the modern nine-floor complex with 550
rooms no later than the end of the second quarter of 2010. The construction
density on the site was set at 20%.
KBC is an affiliate of the Saigon Invest Group in charge of developing real
estate, industrial parks, resorts and deluxe residences.
The company in June asserted its ambition to further tap the hospitality
industry by signing a letter of intent with Starwood Group under which the
latter would manage two five-star hotels whose construction would begin next
year by the former. These are Le Meridien Danang Resort & Spa in the central
city of Danang and Sheraton Dalat Resort in the Central Highlands province of
Lam Dong, whose combined investment amounts to US$140 million.
The development of deluxe resorts is a further bold step of KBC into the tourism
industry following the company’s initial investment in several hospitality
projects, including Robin Hill Resort in Dalat, Lagi Resort & Spa – Ham Tan in
Binh Thuan, and Danang Luxury Resort in Danang.
This growth also signifies the diversification of Saigon Invest Group in various
business fields and its long-term vision of the potential hospitality industry
in Vietnam.
Source: Vietnam Investment |
High Quality Tour Service:
Roy, Spain
Fransesca, Netherlands
A member of Vietnam Travel Promotion Group (VTP Group)
Address: Room 509, 15T2 Building, 18 Tam Trinh Str., Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi, Vietnam (See map)
Tel: +84.24.62768866 / mail[at]tuanlinhtravel.com
Visited: 1967