Sheraton in Ambon

JAKARTA (JP): The Sheraton Group is planning to build a three- star hotel in Ambon, Maluku, following the government's plan to expand the city's Pattimura airport.

State-owned PT Pos Indonesia's Pension Fund's investment manager, H.R. Kamarullah, said the hotel's development would depend on how much land the local government allocated the project, but suggested 1.3 hectares was "enough".

Pos Indonesia will be one of Sheraton's partners in the project.

Kamarullah said several other local partners, including Bank Danamon, would also be involved.

"Ambon is the hub of small hotels in Maluku," he said, as quoted by Antara.

The government is expanding Pattimura airport from 1,850 sq. meters to 2,500 sq. meters. It is expected to open to wide-body aircraft and international carriers in 1999.

Sheraton is planning to build hotels in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan; Balikpapan, East Kalimantan; Medan, North Sumatra; Palembang, South Sumatra; Pekanbaru, Riau; Semarang, Central Java; Manado, North Sulawesi; and Ujungpandang, South Sulawesi. The group recently opened hotels in Timika, in Irian Jaya, and Yogyakarta. (pwn)