GEORGE TOWN – Penang International Airport will get a 200-room Le Méridien hotel by 2026 after brand owner Marriott International Inc entered a management agreement with developer Rackson Group.
Construction work will start in June and the hotel is expected to be in business in 2026.
Rackson Group CEO Kelvin Lor said the key features of the hotel will include a 2,000sq ft presidential suite, an infinity pool facing the airport runway, wellness centres, and apartments.
The hotel’s completion is the first phase of the mixed-use development known as Penang Gateway, located in Bayan Lepas.
Meanwhile, Zeon Properties Group CEO and Rackson Group director Leon Lee revealed that the hotel will have a 4,000sq ft Starbucks outlet near its entrance.
Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow, who was at the signing ceremony yesterday, said the Penang Gateway’s first phase includes serviced suites and retail components.
“This development, touted to be the first transport-oriented one in the state, will be connected to Penang International Airport’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) station, a link bridge, and other nearby developments in the future.
“Penang Gateway will offer healthcare, shopping, leisure, and entertainment conveniences, as well as lodging for holidaymakers and business travellers.
“This will be one of the economic stimulation developments following the Covid-19 pandemic, creating jobs in the construction sector and during the hotel’s opening.”
The two-phase development has an estimated gross development value of RM1.5 billion. – The Vibes, January 6, 2022
