Cathy Mo
CONSTRUCTION of a new five-star hotel started in Shekou yesterday, marking the beginning of a facelift of the Marine World area.
The Marine World Hotel, located next to the Nanhai Hotel in Shekou, Nanshan District, will cost 800 million yuan (US$120.66 million) to build and will cover 56,000 square meters.
Managed by Hilton Hotels, it will have 320 rooms and become the international chain s first seaside hotel in Shenzhen when completed in 2013, according to China Merchants Property Development (CMPD) Co., the developer.
The building of the Marine World Hotel is the first phase of the overall Marine World upgrading project, said He Jianya, vice general manager of CMPD, at the foundation-laying ceremony for the hotel yesterday.
According to He, China Merchants Group, a State-owned corporation based in Hong Kong and the major developer of the Shekou area, will invest an additional 60 billion yuan over the next five to eight years to upgrade facilities in Shekou. Three key areas to be upgraded will be the Marine World urban compound, the Taizi Bay terminals for passenger cruisers and the Shekou Network Valley.
Shekou is renowned for its pioneering role in China s early opening-up drive 30 years ago. The Minghua cruiser at Sea World Square became a popular tourist attraction in the 1980s after the late Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping visited the ship in 1984. In the past 10 years, the area has developed into a commercial area featuring bars and restaurants with exotic flavors to cater to expats living in the city s most populous international community.
Besides the hotel project, construction and renovation of a commercial belt is also starting around the Minghua ship, He said. A total of 12,000 square meters will be designated for international food streets and exotic food and specialties. And upon completion in 2012, the Minghua ship will be again surrounded by water as it used to be, and visitors will be able to enjoy interactive water activities.
