Hundreds of jobs will be created in the construction and operation of a $35 million hotel project announced for the Summer Centre on Orange's main street.
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The four-star, 98-room, three-storey development, with a focus on family and weekend visitors to Orange, is set to open in 2023.
It would involve the demolition of two buildings on Summer Street in front of the IGA Summer Centre and the redevelopment of vacant land next to the car park with an extensive underground basement.
The hotel complex would feature a family-focussed bar and brasserie, outdoor cinema and pool, alfresco dining, a gaming area and at least four new shops.
Paul Saunders, the co-owner of the development company BMPS 88 Investments, which also owns the Summer Centre, said 80-110 workers would be needed to run the hotel while "hundreds" of jobs would be created in its construction.
We've changed the top floor of the hotel to family rooms.
- Paul Saunders, Co-owner, BMPS 88 Investments
Mr Saunders said a development application had been lodged with Orange City Council.
"We would like to have the hotel up and running in two years after the approval, so that could probably be two-and-a-half years from today," he said on Wednesday.
Mr Saunders said the hotel aimed to attract family groups and people who came to Orange for weekend sporting and other events. "We are trying to mix the accommodation between business during the week and families and mixed groups on the weekend," he said.
"We've changed the top floor of the hotel to family rooms, to lofts and a dual-key room so you can get groups and families to stay together.
"That's very much focused on the weekend and the sporting events.
"For example for the cycling events [including the Newcrest Challenge] we've got end-of-trip facilities in the basement."
"We've now got the opportunity to have secured parking for those patrons that come here for those events," Mr Saunders said.
He said it would be run by an "internationally-branded" group.
"I'm not officially allowed to say the brand of the hotel at the moment because we haven't finalised the agreement," he said.
"It's been a long time in the planning. It's taken us about nine months to get to where we are today."
He said there would also be new tenants in the Summer Centre shopping complex.
Orange mayor Cr Reg Kidd said it would be a "huge boost to Orange's CBD" after the affects of the coronavirus lockdown.
He said council staff were already working with the developer to make the project happen.
Orange360 general manager Caddie Marshall said it would help alleviate a shortage of accommodation for tourists in Orange.
"What we continue to need is to build our capacity," she said.
"This is about increasing jobs, continuing to position our region as a wonderful place to invest and create new opportunities for those people who are looking to relocate to our region."
Council's Economic and Employment Development Policy committee chair Cr Tony Mileto said it would help attract tourists.
"It is an exciting alternative to the mainstream metropolitan options, proving Orange is only getting bigger and better as new developments such as this continue to be developed," he said.
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