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STAMFORD LAND CORPORATION LTD
Chairman’s Message
STAMFORD: AWORLD-CLASS BRAND
Since the launch of the Stamford hotel brand
in 1995, we have concertedly built up the
reputation of our stable of fve-star hotels in
Australasia. Our brand is synonymous with
quality in every way - superb service as well
as excellent accommodation and facilities
underscored by ideal locations in gateway
cities.
As a testimony to the strength of our Stamford
brand, our hotels have won awards year after
year and FY2011/2012 was no exception with
several accolades received. Here, I will just
mention twoawards that attest to theStamford
brand’s global reputation. Firstly, Stamford
Plaza Sydney Airport was recognised as
the top Australian airport hotel, receiving the
gold medal in the prestigious Skytrax World
Airport Award 2011 for the Australia/Pacifc
category. This award is based on a survey
of 860,000 international travellers. Secondly,
Sir Stamford at Circular Quay won the 2012
Tripadvisor Traveller’s ChoiceAward for “The
Best Hotels in Australia, Luxury” category.
This award was based on millions of reviews
from travellers around the world who voted
online.
It is also noteworthy that Stamford Plaza
Brisbane has regained all its major corporate
accounts suspended as a result of closure
due to the Brisbane food. The hotel’s efforts
to swiftly get back into business was lauded
by the industry and it clinched the Award for
Best Marketed Hotel in the 2011 Queensland
Hotels Association awards for the reopening
marketing and communications campaign.
To maximise Stamford Plaza Brisbane’s
scenic waterfront potential, we have lodged a
development application for an A$16 million-
extension. Plans include a new hotel entrance
as well as restaurant and bar to maximize
the picturesque river and garden views plus
additional 1,000 sqm of conference space.
Indeed, we are relentless in upholding the
Stamford reputation and will continue to do
our utmost to make improvements to our
properties whilst keeping a vigilant eye on
costs. For instance, Stamford Plaza Sydney
Airport is in the process of refurbishing all 314
accommodation-rooms that will be completed
by mid-August this year. The makeover of
Stamford Plaza Melbourne’s lobby and main
entrance will be completed by June this year.
We will soon embark on amajor refurbishment
of Stamford Plaza Adelaide’s rooms.
The Group is also mindful about doing our
part to protect the environment. To this end,
we were able to secure nearly A$1.47 million
of funds from the Australian government’s
Green Building Fund (GBF) that aims to
reduce green house gas emissions from
daily running of commercial buildings through
dollar-for-dollar support for retroftting and
retro-commissioning projects. All the GBF-
related projects in fve of our hotels will be
completed by July 2013. The total annual
saving for the group is 4,997,224 KWh (some
A$730,594) of energy and a reduction of
5,345 ton of carbon emission.
Augmented by our world-class brand name
and underpinned by a healthy Australian
economy, the capital values of our properties
have increased substantially. It is thus not
surprising that, over the years, we have
received unsolicited offers to buy our
properties. The latest offer was made last
year and, in October, we had entered into an
A$316 million non-binding Memorandum of
Understanding for the sale and leaseback of
Stamford Plaza Melbourne, Stamford Grand
Adelaide and Stamford Plaza Sydney Airport.