LEICESTER STEP UP CONSTRUCTION

Record Aviva Premiership champions the Leicester Tigers are hopeful that they will be able to complete the building of their hotel at Welford Road by the time the Rugby World Cup 2015 hits the country.

The club is hoping that they will be able to secure permission for their grand plan of building the 140 room, four star hotel on the old region of the Granby Hills by the start of the tournament.

The Tigers were originally granted permission by the city administration and authorities for their ambitious project that includes the hotel, a medical centre with state of the art facilities, 144 flats for students as well as a post graduate centre back in 2009 but that project has been delayed due to the recession as well as due the authorities changing various building schemes.

Just this week, the city authorities granted permission for the wedge shaped land to be used as a car park as it is now until 2013 but the Leicester Tigers announced on their official website that they are still very much committed to their grand plan.

According to Simon Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer of the club, the project has slipped from the hands of the club due to cash strapped situation over the last few years but that has not changed the club’s ambition in terms of getting done with the project and with the prospect of hosting the World Cup matches in the city, a hotel that belongs to the club ill do wonders for the long term financing of the club.

He also added that professional rugby has gone through a sea change over the last few years and with the fans demanding better and better facilities, a new hotel would just be the thing to suit their needs and the finances of the Leicester Tigers.