Whangārei Riverside Drive hotel developers await word on funding application

Northland Development Corporation's Barry Trass, left, and Ben Tomason at the site of the new hotel development. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A group of Northland developers planning to build a hotel and entertainment centre in Whangārei have applied for $1.3 million from the Government's Provincial Growth Fund.

The funding, if approved, will cover work such as designs, road engineering, work on the seabed and noise control as part of the $200m-plus four-star, 130-room hotel, entertainment centre and apartments on a site in Riverside Dr.

Northland Development Corporation (NDC) is spearheading plans for the project and is in talks with investors.

The developers are expected to know the outcome of their funding application by the end of February.

Regional Development Minister and Northland list MP Shane Jones has thrown his support behind the project, saying it would not only benefit Whangarei but Northland as a whole in several ways, including job creation.

The hotel and entertainment complex is expected to provide more than 200 jobs during construction and about 140-160 when opened.

There are also plans to ferry tourists from cruise ships that will berth at Northport from early 2021 to the new hotel precincts and other places frequented by visitors, such as the Hundertwasser Art Centre and Hihiaua peninsula.

NDC is yet to apply to the Whangārei District Council for a resource consent.