Northern territory government to pay $250K for hotel developer search

In a bid to find a builder for a new Darwin Hotel, the Northern Territory government will pay a private company nearly $250,000 to conduct the search.

The hotel will be situated on Darwin Harbour, adjacent to the Darwin Convention Centre.

The location is expected to lure tourists as well as events and business travellers.

The government is seeking expressions of interest, with Chief Minister Natasha Fyles saying "commercial real estate and investor specialists" CBRE Hotels will begin "travelling around the world to engage hotel specialists so that we can get a brand here and get construction under way.

"It is our government's job to drive that investment and to leverage that private sector investment so that we can then get further investment.

"The Waterfront is a great attraction for locals and visitors, and this hotel, stepping forward, is a key part to the expansion of the Waterfront."

The governments agreement with CBRE Hotels will cost NT taxpayers $248,000.

Territorians will be hoping this is not another failed NT government idea, following the shelving of a six-star resort run by Chinese-owned firm landbridge and the 2017 $500,000 feasibility study for a water theme park that drowned in 2019.

"The last thing that Darwin needs is more taxpayer subsidisation of more developments we can't afford in the Darwin foreshore," former Labor government MLA Scott McConnell said.

"The Northern Territory government needs to be a government for all Territorians, all the time, and really, we should be focused on remote and regional locations."

The government countered saying the hotel would benefit the overall economy of the Territory and would "provide ongoing jobs in the tourism hospitality sector".

A timeline has yet to be delivered.

AHD - 25-10-22