A New York-based company with a reputation in hotel development and management is the winning bidder in the American Samoa Tourism Revitalization Initiative, Hotel Site Development.
The company, Destination Hotel partners LLC and Integrated Engineered Energy Solutions LLC , was one of only two companies which submitted proposals in response to the Request for Proposals.
The other was Lively Architects of Honolulu which designed the Centennial Building.
Acting Chief Procurement Officer Sapi Ma’o Ena says the bids closed on February 29.
With just the two companies submitting their proposals.
On June 23, Chief Procurement Officer Dr. Oreta Critchon informed Destination Hotel that their proposal had been selected for the Tourism Revitalization Initiative… this is the development of the site where the old Rainmaker Hotel once stood.
Ena says there are still details that need to be negotiated and agreed upon before a lease agreement is signed.
This RFP had to be advertised twice because of the poor response the first time.
According to information from the website of Destination Hotels, the company specializes in creating hotels with key demand generating destinations including colleges, universities, airports and medical centers around the world.
Under the RFP, the selected developer would build a 250-room hotel with a 3 ½ star rating at the site.
The hotel site includes the 4.5 acres that has been cleared and the 1.78 acres currently occupied by Sadies by the Sea Hotel.
The owner of Sadie’s by the Sea will have the option of selling their hotel to the company that will develop the site.
