COUNCIL chiefs have rubber-stamped revised plans for a hotel and hotel school at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
Councillors voted by 47 to nine in favour of the refreshed proposal, which aims to develop one of the most sustainable hotels in the city. M&G Real Estate is funding the project, which will be delivered by QMile Group as part of its £350m Haymarket Edinburgh development.
EICC will run the 350-bedroom four-star hotel under a franchise agreement with Hyatt Hotels Corporation. It is expected to create more than 200 jobs.
The hotel, which is expected to open in 2024, will allow the EICC to meet demand for accommodation from conference delegates.
Marshall Dallas, chief executive of the EICC, said: “Not only is the hotel integral to the future of the EICC, but we also see it being a key component in the return of business tourism to Edinburgh.
"From the very outset, sustainability was near the top of the agenda, it has always been a strong part of our offering as a venue, so we’re pleased to be setting a standard here.”
Adam McVey, leader of City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The refreshed business case, approved today, sets out a robust economic and social case to proceed with this exciting and ambitious development for our capital city.
"This project strengthens the offer of our publicly owned EICC and delivers a bright future as conferences return to the city. The establishment of the hotel school will support and benefit our hospitality and tourism sectors by creating employment and training opportunities for local people who can then build a successful career in Edinburgh. This project is another sign of economic confidence in the capital as we recover and build a fairer and greener economy.”
The proposed hotel school and training academy will work with Edinburgh College to create career paths for students and trainees, providing a pipeline of qualified people for Scotland’s leisure and tourism industry. The EICC-Edinburgh College partnership forecasts it will train up to 200 people every year.
Mr Dallas added: "Overall, we expect the hotel and hotel school to provide significant job creation and economic benefit to the city – which were some of the positive factors outlined to the City of Edinburgh Council when they reviewed the revised business case.”
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