GB GROUP UNVEILS £32M LEEDS ARENA HOTEL

GB Group has secured public and private sector funding for a £32m exclusive hotel development at the heart of Leeds city centre, the closest to the newly opened flagship Leeds Arena.

GB Building Solutions will start work this month on the £21m building contract to create the 206-bedroom, 14-storey hotel, which will include a destination rooftop bar. The site, directly next to Leeds Metropolitan University's Rose Bowl conferencing facility, is just 300m from the 13,500 capacity Leeds Arena, which has already hosted the likes of Bruce Springsteen and Sir Elton John.

The GB Group worked closely with Leeds and Partners, the city's inward investment organisation, to secure £4.8m funding from the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in addition to private funding, to ensure the scheme's go-ahead.

Brandon Riley, director of hotels at GB Group, said: "This project is a great example of how the public and private sector can work together in partnership to achieve a common goal. We are delighted to be in a position to move forward with our plans for this exciting new investment.

"The new Hilton Leeds Arena will provide a fantastic boost to the visitor economy in addition to driving regeneration and job creation."

It is anticipated that up to 100 long-term jobs will be created when the hotel is up and running in 2016, with the potential to create hundreds of temporary jobs, primarily in the construction sector.

The GB Group will retain ownership of the hotel, which will be operated as a Hilton Hotels & Resorts property under a franchise agreement with Hilton Worldwide. Once open, it will be managed by hospitality specialist Redefine BDL.

Rob Palleschi, global head of Hilton Hotels & Resorts, said: "We're delighted to be bringing another hotel to the city of Leeds. Our brand has strong ties with the entertainment industry and Conrad Hilton was himself no stranger to the spotlight, so we're particularly excited to be locating so close to one of the UK's hottest new venues."

This is GB Group's second new hotel development in partnership with Hilton Worldwide following the successful delivery of Hilton Garden Inn Luton North, in Luton, Bedfordshire.

GB Group Chairman and CEO Martin Smout said: "This is a key development for us, and marks an important milestone in our evolution from a developer contractor into a property owner investor. We are thrilled to have secured the go-ahead and funding to deliver this ambitious scheme at the heart of one of the UK's most exciting cities, and look forward to working closely with our partners to build what will become the premier destination for business and leisure in Leeds."

GB Group was advised by Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Finance and CBRE Hotels in relation to the hotel brand and operator search and selection. Watson Farley & Williams were legal advisors to GB Group. Award winning architects Dexter Moren Associates designed the hotel.

ENDS

Notes for Editors

The GB Group is an award winning property and construction solutions provider. Uniquely, GB offers its clients complete end to end property and construction solutions in:

These services include help finding sites, development funding, full design, management and construction of new and refurbished facilities, through to aftercare and asset management.

Our ‘total solution' approach means we can offer our clients a wide range of property and construction solutions delivered by our integrated group companies operating from five offices throughout England. This ensures a local but consistent client experience wherever we work, with each office operating to our core values of ‘Trust, Care and Commitment'. Visit www.gbgroup.co.uk for more information.

GB Building Solutions is a part of the GB Group which provides end to end property and construction solutions, from site finding and development funding, full design, management and construction of new and refurbished facilities, through to aftercare and asset management.

GB Building Solutions builds on over 100 years of history. It specialises in:

Over 74% of GB's workload is from repeat business. GB's focus is to win business by adding value; it builds long lasting relationships with clients based on a culture of trust, care and commitment. GB's integrated solutions are delivered from five offices throughout England ensuring a local, but consistent, client experience wherever we work.

Hilton Worldwide is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxury and full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and focused-service hotels. For 94 years, Hilton Worldwide has been dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences. The company's portfolio of ten world-class global brands is comprised of more than 4,000 managed, franchised, owned and leased hotels and timeshare properties, with more than 665,000 rooms in 90 countries and territories, including Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages an award-winning customer loyalty program, Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.

Founded in 1919 as the flagship brand of Hilton Worldwide, Hilton Hotels & Resorts continues to build upon its legacy of innovation by developing products and services to meet the needs of savvy global travelers at more than 550 hotels across six continents. Hilton is the stylish, forward-thinking global leader in hospitality with Team Members shaping experiences in which every guest feels cared for, valued and respected. Access the latest news at news.hilton.com and begin your journey at www.hilton.com or www.hilton.com/offers for the latest hotel specials. View a list of official social channels at www.hilton.com/social . Hilton Hotels & Resorts is one of Hilton Worldwide's ten market leading brands.