USC, Movenpick Sign Pact To Build US$81.80 Million Five-Star Hotel In Malaysia's Kelantan

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 9 (Bernama) -- Malaysia's hospitality developer, Usahasama Seri Cemerlang Sdn Bhd (USC) and Switzerland-based hotel management company, Movenpick Hotels and Resorts, on Wednesday signed an agreement to build a five-star hotel with a gross development value of US$81.80 million (RM350 million) in Kota Bharu of Malaysia's east coast state Kelantan. The 452-room luxury hotel, with Islamic designs, will be located on 0.47 hectare in front of the Ruler of Kelantan's palace in Jalan Telipot. Under the agreement, Movenpick will manage the Movenpick Kota Bharu hotel while USC will be the land owner and project developer. USC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Masila Mohamed Ariff, said the hotel construction was expected to begin in early 2016 and completed in 2018. "This is our first project in hospitality development and we are looking for more land to develop in the future," Masila told a press conference, here. Movenpick President/CEO, Jean Gabriel Peres, said another Movenpick hotel was currently under construction near the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and was expected to be completed in 2018. "We want to have another hotel in the Kuala Lumpur city centre and we hope to secure the project in the next six months," he said. Peres and Movenpick Senior Vice-president of Asia Andrew Langdon, signed the agreement on behalf of Movenpick while USC was represented by its Chairman, Tengku Fatihah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ibrahim and USC's Director, Afifah Mohamed Ariff. --BERNAMA