Sofitel plans to add 40 hotels to its worldwide network over the next three years. The new ones will be in London, Paris, Berlin, New York, Chicago and Philadelphia. By the end of 2001 Sofitel says it will have increased the number of hotels by 35%. Currently the company has 113 across the world and proposes to open hotels in India in November followed by its first ones in Indonesia and China.
The city of Bydgoszcz in northern Poland has released two major areas of land in the city centre with a development potential of around 54,000m2. A plot on Naruszewicza Street with frontage to the River Brda has been zoned for office, residential and hotel use totalling 30,000m2. The council wants to see the other site, bounded by Jagiellonska and Pestalozziego Streets developed for 24,000m2 of business use.
Müller International is withdrawing from the Oncor organisation after 13 years of representing the network in Germany. The firm has pulled out because of its acquisition last year by Vendome Rome, which has a major interest in Colliers Auguste Thouard. Oncor is looking for a new representative company in Germany.
Klaus Goette, chairman of the supervisory board of HypoVereinsbank, has resigned. The move follows a long-running internal dispute since October’s provision of €.79m (DM3.5bn) to cover over-valued real estate projects. To restore investor confidence, the bank will appoint an outside auditor to review its books and any financial decisions made since the bank was formed from the merger of Bayerische Vereinsbank and Hypobank.
Jones Lang Wootton and LaSalle Partners announced the completion of their merger at the Mipim property fair last month. The new firm has rebranded itself as Jones Lang LaSalle. LaSalle issued 14.3m shares, valued at $504m plus $6.2m in cash.
