More details and design proposals have emerged of the $1 billion hotel and convention centre redevelopment at Sydney's Darling Harbour as a four-company consortium was today named as the preferred bidder for the project.
Destination Sydney, which includes AEG Ogden, Land Lease, Capella Capital and Spotless, will build a 900-room two-tower hotel, convention centre for 12,000 delegates, Sydney's largest ballroom for 2,000 people, a ‘red carpet' entertainment complex with an 8,000 capacity and 40,000 square metres of exhibition space.
A new neighbourhood called The Haymarket will also be constructed on the site of the existing Entertainment Centre and car park and feature businesses, apartments, student accommodation, shops, cafes and restaurants.
Meanwhile, an outdoor event space for 25,000 will be created at Tumbalong Park.
The project, spread over 20 hectares, will have the working title of Darling Harbour Live.
Destination Sydney will now enter detailed negotiations with infrastructure NSW while a formal planning process will also take place.
Talks are continuing over who will operate the hotel.
NSW premier Barry O'Farrell said: "Along with the development of Barangaroo, this project will transform the western fringe of Sydney's Central Business District and is the biggest and most exciting change to Darling Harbour in 25 years."
The redevelopment goes beyond improving facilities and will "reshape the city", he added.
Lyn Lewis-Smith, chief executive of Sydney convention bureau, BESydney, said: "Sydney needs an iconic, contemporary and versatile meetings precinct befit of Australia's global city. What has been revealed today delivers this and more."
The project timetable will see Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre close in December 2013. Work will start soon after with a completion date of late 2016.
While construction of The Haymarket will start in 2014, the existing Entertainment Centre will remain open until December 2015.
