Macquarie No 1 Shed Hobart

Tasmania’s Federal Group has been appointed by Vos Group top operate a new, 113-room, $35 million hotel on Hobart’s waterfront.

The property is being developed at the Macquarie No. 1 Shed and is expected to open in late-2015.

“The aim of the development is to build on the success of the Vos Group’s award winning Henry Jones complex by introducing more activities designed to attract visitors to the Hunter Street side of Sullivan’s Cove as well as enhance and improve open space and public access to the waterfront,” said Vos Group Executive Chairman Michael Vos.

“The team that created the highly successful Henry Jones complex has been re-formed to undertake the Macquarie Wharf No. 1 Redevelopment. It comprises Circa Morris-Nunn Architects, Stanton Management Group and Vos Construction and Joinery Pty Ltd.

“The project involves building a luxury hotel of up to 110 rooms together with 3000 sqm of retail space incorporating restaurants, cafes, provedores, galleries, etc.

“It is expected to create at least 100 jobs during the 12 month construction period with a further 60 to 80 ongoing jobs once the hotel and retailers are operational,” he said.

Tourism Transport Forum Chief Executive Ken Morrison says this is a huge vote of confidence for the Tasmanian tourism industry.

“Additional accommodation is critical to continuing to grow visitor numbers to Tasmania and this investment will deliver vital extra capacity, as well as providing a new entertainment destination for Hobart,” he said.

“We welcome this investment by the Vos Group and Federal Group as a vote of confidence in the Tasmanian tourism industry and an acknowledgement of the recent growth in visitation to Tasmania.

“It is precisely this kind of investment that is critical to ensuring that momentum is maintained and that Tasmania’s tourism industry continues to grow.

“We congratulate the Tasmanian government on its role in facilitating this investment by reducing barriers to investment through its ‘headworks holiday’ and we look forward to the benefits its continuation will bring.

“This reform introduced by the Hodgman government is a great incentive that will deliver further investment in new tourism accommodation and attractions that will support tourism jobs and businesses across Tasmania.

“TTF’s National Tourism Business Count and Employment Atlas shows that Tasmania is Australia’s most tourism-reliant state and this investment is critical to supporting the 40,000 direct and indirect tourism jobs statewide.

“Tourism is an economic development strategy for Tasmania that can create more job and business opportunities, so we urge the Hodgman government to exceed its pre-election promise and restore funding to Tourism Tasmania with an injection of $4 million in 2014-15 and an extra $20 million in funding over the next term of government,” Morrison said.

James Wilkinson

Editor-In-Chief, Hotel Management