RSG Moves To Revive Olympia Hotel …Names Committee On World Book Capital

Rivers State Government, has approved the revitalisation of the state-owned Olympia Hotel following acquisition of the property by foreign partners, Messrs Centrum Properties Limited.

Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari made the disclosure, while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting on Wednesday in Government House, Port Harcourt.

Mrs Semenitari disclosed that among the bidders, Centrum Properties Limited came tops with its proposal to   rebuild and manage the moribund hotel.

She stated that the foreign firm is the parent company of Raddism Hotel Chain, as the hotel would be managed by Carlson Resida Group, owners of the Raddism Hotel Chain.

Mrs Semenitari stressed that the company won the bid because of its history in hotel business with over 45 years in the hospitality industry.

The moribund hotel, when finally refurbished, according to her “would be upgraded to a high class upper market brand.

The state-owned hotel, it will be recalled , had been derelict since the last bid to revitalise it by the military administration in 1998.

Meanwhile, the state government has set up a committee to oversee the smooth hosting of the World Book Capital in Port Harcourt by 2014.

The committee is headed by the state Commissioner for Education, Dame Alice Nemi and Commissioner for Youths, Culture and Tourism and that of Information and Communications.

Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs Ibim Semenitari also disclosed that the committee comprises media executives of Silverbird Television, Wazobia and Cool FM and that of Daar Communications as members.

Port Harcourt beat other three world cities of Oxford, Brussels and Brazil to clinch the World Book Capital in 2014.