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well, it isn't exactly a project yet, but...
Pan Pacific Hotels plans major expansion
First 'new targets' include Toronto and Los Angeles
Bruce Constantineau
Vancouver Sun
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
The new Singapore-based owners of Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts chain want to aggressively expand the global hotel brand throughout North America -- with more Canadian properties likely, the company's North American president said Tuesday.
Steve Halliday said the UOL Group Ltd, which acquired the chain from Tokyu Corp. of Japan last week, have a "passion and commitment" for the hotel business and see a great future for an expanded Pan Pacific brand. There are currently 20 Pan Pacific properties throughout Asia Pacific and North America.
Tokyu Corp. brought the Pan Pacific brand to Vancouver when it opened the Pan Pacific Hotel at Canada Place in 1986.
But Halliday said the company has recently concentrated its efforts on the Japanese market, opting to sell a San Francisco hotel last year and selling the Vancouver hotel in 2002, while retaining the hotel's management contract.
"UOL wants to grow in North America," he said. "The first new targets will be Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto and San Diego."
Pan Pacific currently operates just four North American hotels -- including two in Whistler, one in Vancouver, and one in Seattle that opened last year.
Halliday said future Pan Pacific hotels are likely to open in resort locations like Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, Vail and Vancouver Island.
"We only want world-class sites, and I feel the future of Pan Pacific in North America will be boutique properties -- with 150 to 200 rooms," he said. "Pan Pacific is still fresh and not a typical brand you see on every street corner in North America, so a lot of developers are looking our way."
Halliday stressed the new owners have no plans to change the current management and staff at existing Pan Pacific hotels.
The UOL Group owns several hotels in the Asia-Pacific region, including many under the Parkroyal brand. The company has business interests in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Vietnam and China, with more than 40 subsidiaries and associate companies.
UOL reported operating income of $130 million last year on revenues of $461 million.
bconstantineau@png.canwest.com
Pan Pacific Hotels plans major expansion
First 'new targets' include Toronto and Los Angeles
Bruce Constantineau
Vancouver Sun
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
The new Singapore-based owners of Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts chain want to aggressively expand the global hotel brand throughout North America -- with more Canadian properties likely, the company's North American president said Tuesday.
Steve Halliday said the UOL Group Ltd, which acquired the chain from Tokyu Corp. of Japan last week, have a "passion and commitment" for the hotel business and see a great future for an expanded Pan Pacific brand. There are currently 20 Pan Pacific properties throughout Asia Pacific and North America.
Tokyu Corp. brought the Pan Pacific brand to Vancouver when it opened the Pan Pacific Hotel at Canada Place in 1986.
But Halliday said the company has recently concentrated its efforts on the Japanese market, opting to sell a San Francisco hotel last year and selling the Vancouver hotel in 2002, while retaining the hotel's management contract.
"UOL wants to grow in North America," he said. "The first new targets will be Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto and San Diego."
Pan Pacific currently operates just four North American hotels -- including two in Whistler, one in Vancouver, and one in Seattle that opened last year.
Halliday said future Pan Pacific hotels are likely to open in resort locations like Lake Tahoe, Mammoth Mountain, Vail and Vancouver Island.
"We only want world-class sites, and I feel the future of Pan Pacific in North America will be boutique properties -- with 150 to 200 rooms," he said. "Pan Pacific is still fresh and not a typical brand you see on every street corner in North America, so a lot of developers are looking our way."
Halliday stressed the new owners have no plans to change the current management and staff at existing Pan Pacific hotels.
The UOL Group owns several hotels in the Asia-Pacific region, including many under the Parkroyal brand. The company has business interests in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Vietnam and China, with more than 40 subsidiaries and associate companies.
UOL reported operating income of $130 million last year on revenues of $461 million.
bconstantineau@png.canwest.com
