Photo: Klaas de Boer, Amsterdam Municipal Zuidas Development Office Director and Hans Bakker, General Director Amsterdam RAI
On Wednesday 4 June 2014, during the Provada real estate exhibition, Amsterdam Municipal Zuidas Development Office Director Klaas de Boer and Amsterdam RAI’s General Director Hans Bakker officially opened the tendering procedure for the construction of a new RAI Hotel. The development of the RAI Hotel is part of the RAI Spatial Development Plan (Ruimtelijke Toekomstvisie RAI) jointly drawn up by the Zuidas Development Office and Amsterdam RAI in 2011. The envisioned on-site four-star hotel will offer at least 650 rooms. Construction of the RAI Hotel is slated to begin in mid-2016.
The Municipality of Amsterdam, the Zuidas Development Office and Amsterdam RAI are looking for a party – or consortium of parties – to develop a plan for the hotel’s development and construction, as well as for its financing and operation. The Municipality of Amsterdam will issue the land under ground lease and is the contracting party for the tender.
Amsterdam RAI keen to expand with on-site hotel
To augment the existing RAI complex, Amsterdam RAI wants to build an on-site four-star hotel with at least 650 rooms. The addition of a hotel will further secure Amsterdam RAI’s competitive position as well as give it an advantage in the international trade fair and conference market. The plans also feed into market demand for an ‘headquarter hotel’ where both event operators and the most important exhibitors, speakers and visitors can stay.
The Municipality of Amsterdam (Zuidas Development Office) has emphasised the importance of building the new hotel at this location, occupying the triangle formed by Europaboulevard, the A10 Ring Road and the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre. In the light of its ambition to increase Amsterdam’s hotel capacity, the Municipality expects the development of a hotel and the associated facilities at this location in the Zuidas district to provide a valuable boost for the city.
About the tender
The tendering procedure has been jointly prepared by the Municipality of Amsterdam and Amsterdam RAI. They are looking for a plan that is both bold and viable, that integrates the hotel within its immediate environment at the RAI and which offers added value to the city of Amsterdam. The procedure will comprise a public pre-selection followed by a closed final selection. The pre-selection is intended to result in a shortlist of a maximum of four tenderers. These four parties will then be invited to flesh out their proposals for the final selection.
The Municipality of Amsterdam and Amsterdam RAI hope to finalise the tender and begin drawing up the plans in early 2015. Construction of the RAI Hotel is slated to begin in mid-2016.
RAI Spatial Development Plan
Jointly drawn up by Amsterdam RAI and the Amsterdam Municipal Zuidas Development Office in 2011, the RAI Spatial Development Plan states that Amsterdam RAI will continue to operate at its current location and be committed to sustainable development. As well as the new RAI Hotel, near-term plans also include expansion of the Amsterdam RAI Convention Centre with the new Amtrium building and the addition of a 1,000-car multi-storey car park.
For more information about the tender see www.zuidas.nl
