Details of one of the most ambitious tourism projects to be proposed for this country was revealed in Co Cork today.
An international property development company will be joined by the hotel chain Hyatt International and the Golf Management company of the Professional Golfers' Association in the development of a five-star hotel and health spa, an 18-hole championship golf course and golf academy, an equestrian centre and conference facilities on a 650-acre site near Kinsale in Co Cork.
The scale of the investment proposed for a rugged and spectacular headland overlooking Kinsale Harbour is huge. Property development consortium Xces plans to spend €200m developing a five-star holiday resort from scratch on a greenfield site about five miles from Kinsale.
Xces says the construction phase alone will cost €160m and will provide employment for 300 people. It is also promising that a further 800 full-time jobs will be created both directly and in-directly once the resort opens.
Construction is expected to be completed within two years of the granting of planning permission.
The company's figures are backed-up by an analysis of the project commissioned from a London-based firm of economic consultants.
Kinsale Harbour Resort will be developed in a partnership between Xces Projects, Hyatt International hotels and PGA Golf Management, and representatives of all three companies were in Cork today for the project's launch.
