Uni-President Group (統一集團) said it is likely to enter into a partnership with Japan's Tokyu Hotel Chain Co in developing a business-oriented hotel in a commercial complex in eastern Taipei, the group's spokesman Simon Hung (洪士民) said yesterday.
The planned hotel features at least 350 rooms and would be located between the seventh floor to the top level of the 28-story building as part of the group's 50-year build operate and transfer (BOT) project it signed with Taipei City Government late last month.
As this would be the first time Uni-President -- which specializes in manufacturing food and retail services -- steps into the hotel business, Hung said the company is looking for partnership to attain the technological know-how required to see the proposed investment project come to fruition.
"We have yet to settle on the final deal with Tokyu. But there is high possibility that we'll partner with the company," Hung said.
At a press conference last month unveiling the BOT deal inked with the city government, Kao Ching-yuan (高清愿), head of Uni-President Group, said the district in eastern Taipei has massive business potential given the numerous trade shows and conferences held year-round at the Taipei World Trade Center and the Taipei International Convention Center.
But there are only two major hotels in the immediate area -- the Grand Hyatt Taipei, with 856 rooms and the Agora Garden, with 213 rooms, to accommodate bus-inesspeople attending the trade shows. Rates for rooms skyrocket during trade shows and hotel are quickly booked to capacity.
According to President Development Corp (統一開發), which is responsible for developing the complex on top of the MRT Taipei City Hall Station, as well as a bus terminal, the average room rate for the new hotel will be US$150, compared with Grand Hyatt's rates between US$170 and US$180 at normal times.
In an interview with a local Chinese-language newspaper on Tuesday, Kao said the company expected to finalize its investment cooperation report with Tokyu by the end of this month.
Construction of the new building is scheduled to start in the middle of next year and and be competed by 2008, according to President Development Corp.
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