Waterfront hotel developer Jing Song. Photo supplied.
The Otago businesswoman behind Dunedin's proposed
waterfront hotel stepped into the public arena yesterday,
talking about her passion for the city and the vision for the
future.
As earlier indicated in the Otago Daily Times, Jing
Song is the promoter behind Betterways Advisory, the company
wanting to build the 28-storey hotel in Wharf St.
Responding to critics of the project, Ms Song said yesterday
the development was about advancing the city.
''The hotel is an exciting and invigorating project for
Dunedin, a city I love.
''We've got the opportunity to have the best hotel in the
country. Dunedin is ready for a world-class hotel and here's
the opportunity.''
A model of the proposed waterfront hotel.
The Dunedin City Council committee considering the
company's application for a resource consent for the project
resumes its hearings on Monday. Betterways was asked for five
additional pieces of information by the committee before the
resumption of the hearings.
Ms Song, who is in her late 20s and lives in Queenstown, was
educated at St Andrew's College, in Christchurch, before
winning a scholarship to the University of Otago to study for
degrees in accountancy and theatre.
By 22, Ms Song was a member of the Institute of Chartered
Accountants and practised accountancy with WHK in Dunedin,
previously known as Taylor McLachlan Ltd. She is an associate
member of the CPA Australia and a former member of Dunedin
Operatic.
''I can't talk highly enough about the education and
motivation I received at Otago, she said.
''Otago University is the best tertiary education provider in
New Zealand. They opened my eyes to business opportunities
and that's why I live and work here.''
Ms Song lived in Dunedin for about eight years.
She now runs her own consulting business as well as a wine
exporting company promoting world-class trophy award-winning
wines, such as Central Otago's Valli wines, into China.
Otago Chamber of Commerce president Peter McIntyre welcomed
Ms Song's declaration she was behind the hotel project.
''This adds flavour and colour to the project. In the current
environment, most new development is being pushed into
Auckland and Christchurch.
''We should feel privileged Ms Song chose to build the hotel
in Dunedin.''
The hotel project fitted with the new Dunedin's economic
strategy which called for inward investment, he said.
''There is nothing to be afraid of here. The hotel fits in
with our recent infrastructure projects, such as the Forsyth
Barr Stadium.
''It will benefit Dunedin and the Otago region, but also the
rest of New Zealand. We will have a top hotel and another
destination for inbound tourists,'' Mr McIntyre said.
Less than 1% opposing this proposal
The figures you are quoting that oppose this hotel represent less than 1% of ratepayers and less than 0.4% of the overall population of Dunedin. As for locals investing in major projects in Dunedin over $10,000,000, I don't thing there is one. The likes of Ms Song should be commended and encouraged to invest in Dunedin.
Eye of the beholder
I really think objectors need to have a better reason than "I don't like it." What would be so bad about a decent hotel on the waterfront built by private interests? The way some commentators go on you would think one building will turn us into the Vegas of the South. These people need to get out more. Try travelling and see how the best cities are diverse and interesting. And shock horror, they even have modern buildings! Best of luck Ms Song; lots of us would love to see your plans realised.
not just a puff piece
Not just a puff piece but a press release from Betterways.
Puff piece
This reads as a puff piece.
Go Jing Song
Just build it......tell all them old negative locals to go live in Oamaru...! Can't wait to see the project start.!
We?
"''We've got the opportunity to have the best hotel in the country. "
Who is this 'We' of whom you speak? I think it refers to you and your partners, not us as citizens of Dunedin.
Can you show how profits from the hotel will be ploughed back into the local economy? If you were interested in advancing the city, you would invest into local companies developing new and innovative goods and services.
And no, Mr Mcintyre, I don't feel 'privileged' that someone should choose to build a hotel here. That's entirely a commercial decision driven by their own profit motives. Not a gift.
Dark ages
It's no wonder people from ChCh north think we live in the dark ages with these types of attitudes.
We need plenty of this type of development if Dunedin is to grow.
Thank you Ms Song.
Eight
Lived in Dunedin for about eight years. Plant one on the edge of Lake Wakatipu.
Four hundred and fifty-seven
507 submissions were received following the notification of the application, 457 in opposition, 43 in support, and seven were neutral in their stance.
'Responding to critics'
By describing Ms Jing Song's claim regarding the need for the hotel as "Responding to critics..." you imply that the critics' opposition is to the need for a 5-star hotel; whereas almost all the criticism that has been expressed is directed at the inappropriateness of this building - a 28-storey, 96.4m glass box of infinite dullness plonked on a traffic island on the edge of the harbour basin. The many different ways in which it is inappropriate have been expressed by its many critics, so why didn't your reporter ask her to respond to these criticisms?
She claims that she has a passion for Dunedin... but for exactly what in Dunedin does she have a passion? It can't be for its geographical setting or she would see how inappropriate and out-of-scale to it is this building; it can't be for the city's architecture and heritage character or she would recognise instantly that this building insults and diminishes it. If she likes the harbour basin as an area for recreation, she must see that this building will harm the basin's amenity value; so what is it about Dunedin for which she has a passion? Shouldn't you have asked her that?
And she says that she spoke about her vision for Dunedin's future. Just what is her vision? Is it a vision of a Dunedin whose harbour is lined with buildings of this sort of mediocrity and size?
Two
Two commentators, at the height of unsuitable bad taste. Two days before the hearing reconvenes.
OMG
"We should feel privileged Ms Song chose to build the hotel in Dunedin.'' Really? OMG! I cannae believe what me eyes are reading.
Jing Song, if you love Dunedin so much, you should live here and listen to the people that belong to this city. While we appreciate you love from afar we do not want a tower of "dominance" shoved down our throats with tough love.