Chinese port and logistics operator Landbridge, which owns the Port of Darwin in Australia, has signed an agreement with the Northern Territory government to build a luxury hotel along the Darwin waterfront. Starwood Hotels and Resorts has signed on to operate the property under its Westin brand, marking the company's Darwin debut.
Construction on the $250-million hotel is scheduled to begin next year, and the project should be completed by 2020.
Northern Territory Chief Minister Adam Giles said the hotel would be a "game changer" for the area, and would help “meet unsatisfied demand for luxury accommodation in Darwin.”
Moreover, Giles said, by launching construction in 2017, the development ”will surpass the government's target three years early to build a $2.2 billion visitor economy by 2020."
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The hotel will be developed on a site formerly planned for development by Toga that was recently returned to government after 18 months of negotiation. The government has offered Landbridge an 18-month call option over an additional 1.5 hectares of the former Toga land. Notably, the government will not contribute to the hotel's operations.