Today news that the Crowne Plaza
Hotel, formally the Park Royal, will be demolished in the wake of the February earthquakes. IHG operates a portfolio of 50 hotels and
resorts across Australasia, as part of the world’s largest hotel network by
number of rooms, remains committed to maintaining a presence in Christchurch
despite the announcement that one of its three hotels in the city, Crowne Plaza
Christchurch will not be rebuilt.
All three hotels under IHG management in
Christchurch – the Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn City Centre and Holiday Inn on
Avon – sustained significant damage during the earthquakes that devastated the
city in February. The Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn City Centre
are located in a section of the Christchurch CBD that remains closed to the
public six months after the devastating earthquakes, as city officials and
contractors take necessarily cautious steps toward restoring the city.
Australasia chief operating officer, Bruce
McKenzie stated in the press release “There’s still a lot of work to be done to
determine what the future holds for IHG’s presence in the city, particularly
with assessments still pending on the two Christchurch Holiday Inn hotels under
IHG management. “That said, we’re working closely with the City of
Christchurch, our partners and the industry to determine that future, with
every intention of remaining a part of this city”.
Just across the street from the Crowne Plaza,
the Copthorne – Durham St will also be demolished. With the Convention Centre
further along Kilmore Street also to be demolished, we await final news of the
Town Hall complex where some significant issues have yet to be resolved.
[Sad for Christchurch dwellers - the IMAGE of their city is to change - and one is confident they will rebuild a wonderful new image - Ed]
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