Kent County Cricket Club close in on hotel deal for St Lawrence Ground redevelopment
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by Glenn Pearson
The final piece of the St Lawrence
Ground redevelopment jigsaw could soon be in place, with Kent
hopeful of tying up a deal with an international hotelier next
week.
The club have been in discussions with
a group about the sale of land with planning permission for a
130-bed hotel and have put a self-imposed deadline of next
Wednesday to thrash out a deal.
With the first part of the development
complete and work now underway on the second stage, which includes
office buildings and a Sainsbury’s convenience store – financed by
a loan from Canterbury City Council – agreeing a deal for the hotel
would mark completion of the club’s plans for St Lawrence.
Kent’s chief executive, Jamie Clifford
(pictured), said: "We continue to be positive about the
discussions we are having, it relates to an international hotel
operator and I hope by February 1 we will have a deal that is
workable on the table. That’s my timetable I am working to. If we
can’t get something together by then, we will have to review our
position."
Meanwhile, new Kent head coach Jimmy
Adams is on course to take up his position next week. The former
West Indies Test captain, who was named the successor to Paul
Farbrace earlier this month, is currently awaiting a visa before
being allowed to enter the country.
Mr Clifford said: "First week in
February was always our target date, which, if it’s ambitious,
means if it slips a bit, it doesn’t stuff up everything else."
Wednesday, January 25 2012
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