–construction on track for August completion

SET for completion in August, the modern 172-room Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, which is being constructed in Houston on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), will be a hub for local talent and Indigenous craft, attracting scores of tourists.

This was revealed during a site visit by President Dr. Irfaan Ali, who was informed by hotel officials that Indigenous women from Santa Aratak have been engaged to produce local craft to be showcased.

The President noted that this will be a key aspect of the design.

“This is fantastic; having that indigenous artistic identity! They [would] also have an entire section of the building dedicated to Guyanese work, arts and culture, and of course everything Guyana,” he declared.

Once completed, the new hotel will be outfitted with a restaurant, bars, an outdoor pool, as well as 16,000-square feet of meeting space, and 25,000-square feet of retail area.

The investment, according to President Ali, will add to an already buzzing skyline of the capital city and the East Bank corridor.

“This entire area, you’re going to [see] a massive investment in the next year in a drainage system from here going all the way back to Georgetown,” he said.

He noted that the government will be creating hubs to attract tourists, promoting local shops and small businesses.

There is also a key focus on building sustainable infrastructure to maintain the cleanliness and beauty of the city.

“We’ll have all the infrastructure,” President Ali said. “We’ve done the roads, paves, and then we’ll have a concrete drainage system covering the entire city. And we’ll be creating little hubs for all the local shops, so they can be in areas that are touristic. So that is the plan over the next year. So, as we build a new city in the next five years, this city is going to be enhanced into a real botanical city with a drainage system. And, of course, doing a lot of public education and cleanliness, and keeping the city nice, neat, and clean.”

These plans, he noted, will be rolled out in the immediate future; however, there are also plans for new housing schemes, and the possibility of constructing an arena.

These plans. he reiterated, are all aimed at breathing new life into the country’s landscape not only to attract visitors but to enhance the livelihoods and well-being of Guyanese.

Works had commenced on the hotel back in 2022, just after the four-lane Mandela-Eccles Road was opened to the public.

The new hotel is strategically located 15 minutes from the Ogle International Airport on the east-side lane of a new road bypass between Eccles and Mandela Avenue.

The project is led by Tama Investments LLC, and has an estimated cost of US$33.3 million, which will be financed by 50 per cent Debt/Equity, including an approximate US$12 million senior loan, with a 12-year tenor from IDB Invest.

The hotel’s operator will be the EuroBuilding Hotel Group, an established hotel operator with several properties around the region.

Four Points represents an upper-midscale brand within the Marriott International umbrella, and will seek EDGE Certification highlighting many sustainability features.

Back in 2020,  expressions of interest were sent out for internationally-branded hotels to be built in the country.

Since then, Guyana has welcomed new players into its market, and constructions are ongoing for a number of new hotels.