Planet Hollywood Bali put on hold

JAKARTA (JP): Finally, a Planet Hollywood Bali?

Not quite.

Planet Hollywood Jakarta's executive director, Juan R. Jimenez, said that plans for a Bali Planet Hollywood were postponed recently to early September, next year.

"It's the crisis and everybody's suffering. We'll have a second board meeting this December to finalize the plans. Rights to open are already in hand," Juan said Monday.

The good news for visitors?

One of Planet Hollywood's shareholders has a controlling interest in the chosen building, located a stone's throw away from the Duty Free Shop plaza near Ngurah Rai Airport, Denpasar.

"There is an availability of 1,500 meters square but we will not use all of it. We intend to minimize on usage of space and maximize on human resources efficiency," Juan said.

Despite it being near the famed Kuta Beach, he said it was "not coming up anywhere near a coastline".

"We could not do that to our friends, the Hard Rock Cafe Bali," he said jokingly.

The restaurant will take up one floor and accommodate 250 chairs.

"It should come to 70 percent to 80 percent of Planet Hollywood Jakarta's size but the ceiling will be higher."

"The plaza people have told us that it attracts 1,500 tourists a month. We are also trying to put up a cinema but with these conditions, let's see."

Juan did not say how much would be invested in the project but added that it should, hopefully, be under Rp 6 billion.

Considering the betterment of the country's situation, there is a Planet Hollywood Hotel in the pipeline. (ylt)