Sheraton in Ambon

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)