Chinese deal for Tasmanian hospitality training school and hotel
Plans are underway to build a new hospitality training school and hotel in Kangaroo Bay in Bellerive in Tasmania.
The $45 million training school is part of a deal between a big Chinese company Chambroad and TasTAFE coinciding with the Tasmanian Government’s trade mission to China.
Chambroad, a Shandong Province company which operates a number of training colleges with about 30,000 students has teamed up with local architect Robert Morris-Nunn’s firm Hunter Developments.
The plan is to build a new four- to five-star hotel on the site. It would be connected with the school, training people coming into the booming hospitality sector.
Tasmanian premier Will Hodgman, who witnessed the signing of the agreement, said the deal represents a huge win for the state’s tourism and hospitality sectors.
The deal comes after the head of Chambroad visited Tasmania in 2014 as part of TasInvest. In April 2015, the company signed an MOU with TasTAFE to pursue training opportunities in Tasmania.
“The hospitality training school would provide Tasmania with a high-end, contemporary training facility that will help open the doors to Tasmanians looking for a future in our tourism and hospitality sectors and also enhance Tasmania’s growing reputation as a destination of choice for international students,’’ Mr Hodgman said.
He said the joint proposal was close to being finalised.
Once a heads of agreement was signed between Hunter Developments and Chambroad, the proposal would move into the next stage.
Mr Hodgman expected that the heads of agreement proposal will be signed shortly.
The Kangaroo Bay precinct sits between Rosny College and the Bellerive Yacht Club. Clarence City Council has plans for it to eventually encompass transport, shopping and tourism precincts.
It’s envisaged that the training facility will be a key part of the hotel.
“We’ve never personally been involved in one and I think it’s great for the state that the training aspect happens,” Mr Morris-Nunn told the Hobart Mercury.
“It’s far better than individual organisations doing things alone and it will mean there’s better trained people out working in the industry.”
by Leon Gettler, 19th April 2016
