Hotel project bedded down

By Callan Date
DOVETON will soon have a 128-room world-class hotel designed to attract international business travellers.
The Constellation Hotel Group this week unveiled plans to develop a new Chifley property behind the Freeway Sports Centre on Princes Highway.
Although located in Doveton, the development has been dubbed Chifley Dandenong and will aim to attract clientele visiting both the City of Casey and City of Greater Dandenong commercial pre-cincts.
The hotel is set to open in late 2008 and will offer corporate travellers the opportunity to bypass the Melbourne CBD while enjoying the same state-of-the-art communication technologies and stylish rooms and meeting spaces found in inner-city hotels.
Chifley Dandenong will also serve surrounding businesses by offering accessible public spaces including bars, a restaurant and café and two conference rooms each with a capacity for up to 140 delegates in a theatre-style area.
The hotel, which the Constellation Hotel Group will manage under a 10-year agreement, is one of five new Chifley properties due to open next year.
Along with the Doveton development, the company will also launch hotels in Sydney, Townsville and Newcastle in 2008.
Group general manager Jonathan Wooller said the ongoing expansion of the Chifley brand would continue a period of expansion for the Australian-owned and operated Constellation.
“Over the past 12 months we have more than doubled our total network, acquired the Sundowner brand and introduced our iconic Country Comfort chain across the Tasman,” Mr Wooller said.
“Our strategic expansion of the Chifley network will help ensure we maintain our momentum in 2008.”
Land owner Ron Harrison said he was delighted to be working with the Constellation group in bringing the hotel to Doveton.
“It will bring prestige to a place where people can visit in the lifestyle they are used to all around the world,” Mr Harrison said.
He said Casey councillors had supported the ongoing push to get the hotel established in Doveton.