The winner of the tender for the management of the proposed Casino Carrasco Hotel in Uruguay will be known this month.
One of the bidders, Sofitel, part of the French hotel group Accor, has proposed an investment of US$60m. The plan is to restore an iconic building on the promenade in the capital city of Montevideo, bringing new life to the city’s Carrasco district.
A spokesman for the company said: "It will not be a summer hotel. Rather it will be the most important five-star hotel in the country - a symbol of Uruguay."
Sofitel, which has 172 hotels on five continents, has plenty of experience in the refurbishment of heritage sites, including projects in Colombia, Egypt and the Dominican Republic. Construction of the Carrasco project will take 18 months and the hotel and casino will employ 420 people.
The building will have an underground car park for 200 vehicles, a spa and heated swimming pool, restaurants bars and a business centre.
