Christchurch to lose Crowne Plaza
One of its IHG’s three hotels in Christchurch, Crowne Plaza, will not be rebuilt in the wake of the February earthquakes.
Hotel owner, Eureka Funds Management, has briefed employees of the hotel, who have remained on full pay, on the ruling from structural engineers to demolish the hotel.
Eureka also confirmed that the hotel would not be rebuilt, primarily due to rising construction costs resulting from changes to the Christchurch building codes.
IHG is working with Eureka to find redeployment opportunities for those of the Crowne Plaza's 160 employees willing to relocate to other hotels in New Zealand, Australia and worldwide.
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.
“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,” said IHG Australasia chief operating officer, Bruce McKenzie.
In better news for the city, Placido Domingo will perform in Christchurch to help rebuild the earthquake-ravaged arts community.
The great Spanish tenor, 70, has postponed another commitment to travel to New Zealand for a one-off concert at the CBS Canterbury Arena on October 6 that will support the rebuild of Christchurch's Court Theatre and the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra.
Ian Jarrett
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