Work starts on new AECC hotel

Robertson has started work on a new 150-bed Aloft Hotel on the site of the new Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC).

The hotel will be the first building in phase 2 of the AECC masterplan at Bucksburn, and will be located just north of the Hilton Hotel that adjoins the new AECC, which is currently under construction. The multi-million pound AECC project, which is being delivered by Aberdeen City Council and its development partner, Henry Boot Developments Limited, and being constructed by Robertson Group, will provide a new world-class facility for Scotland. The 12,500-capacity arena will host major events including conferences, exhibitions and music concerts.

The new facility is expected to contribute an additional 4.5 million visitors, £113 million of visitor spend and £63 million net Gross Value Added to the Scottish economy. It will also result in the creation of 352 full-time-equivalent permanent positions by year 10 of operations.

Designed by architects Cooper Cromar, with interiors by Twenty2Degrees, the new Aloft Hotel will be the first of its kind in Scotland and will include a signature WXYZ® bar, Re:mixSM lounge and gym. Designed to appeal to savvy next-gen travellers, the property will also feature contemporary urban-style interiors, tech-forward amenities and live-music programming. The hotel will be managed by the UK's leading independent hotel management company, Redefine|BDL Hotels.

Nick Harris, Director of Henry Boot Developments in Scotland said: "Having a world-class music and conference venue in Aberdeen will be of tremendous benefit to the north east. Recent figures from industry body UK Music suggest 40% of people going to live music events are music tourists – people travelling to the venue from elsewhere in the UK or abroad. The new AECC arena will have a capacity similar to the Hydro in Glasgow, making it far more likely that Aberdeen will attract the big names in entertainment and get a bigger slice of this music tourism pie. That's why it's great to have high-quality, modern hotels like Aloft on site to meet this need."

Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Jenny Laing said: "This is another major milestone in the development of the new AECC which is a big part of our plan to transform the city with major new infrastructure projects. We're looking forward to watching the progression of the Aloft hotel as it is built, and how it integrates with the other structures already in place."

Robertson Group's Chief Executive Officer Derek Shewan said: "The AECC will be a world-class events and conference space, with equally outstanding facilities. We at Robertson Group are proud to be constructing the Aloft Hotel, which will be situated on the AECC site. Groundworks have already begun on the hotel, which will ultimately boast 150 bedrooms over four floors."

Andrew Robb, Chief Business Development Officer for Redefine|BDL Hotels and who hails from Aberdeen, said:

"We're delighted to be involved in introducing Aloft to Aberdeen – and indeed to Scotland – as part of the exciting AECC project. We already count Aloft Liverpool within our growing portfolio, so this represents our second management agreement with the Aloft brand, further strengthening our partnership.

"The start of work on the hotel is a huge milestone, and represents another step in the journey towards bringing visitors to Aberdeen, and locals, the quality accommodation and food and beverage offering that has become synonymous with contemporary Aloft Hotels."About Henry Boot Developments LimitedHenry Boot Developments is one of the most progressive property development companies currently working in the UK. We are part of the 130-year old London Stock Exchange listed Henry Boot Group of Companies. Henry Boot Developments is truly opportunity-led with a focus on high quality design and encouraging a collaborative approach with the public, local authorities and other developers alike.