The construction of the epic Speke Resort Convention Centre in Munyonyo, on the shores of Lake Victoria is on schedule and should be completed by November 2023, Ruparelia Group the project’s co-developers have said.
Conducting a media tour of the project today, July 18th 2023, Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, the Ruparelia Group Chairman said that the project’s structural works which only started in November 2022, have reached 64% and will be soon complete to allow for fittings and finishings.
“Ruparelia Group, through our two subsidiaries, Speke Hotels and Meera Investments, is sparing no effort to ensure that we deliver this key strategic national facility on time,” Dr. Sudhir told the media.
The one-of-a-kind facility whose main auditorium has a capacity of between 3,800 will also have a multipurpose hall, 12 high-end conference/breakaway meeting rooms and a floating restaurant that can host more than 900 guests.
The project is jointly being developed by the Ruparelia Group and the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC). UDC is the investing arm of the Government of Uganda whose mission is to establish and or invest in sustainable investments in areas strategic to Uganda’s social and economic transformation, and prosperity.
Both Meera and UDC own 50% of the project.
Dr. Sudhir said that the Convention centre will be integrated into existing facilities within the 105-acre luxury resort complex that already has two other Group-owned luxury lake-side resorts⏤ Speke Resort Munyonyo and Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort.
Altogether, the Speke Resort Convention Centre, Speke Resort Munyonyo and Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort bring to Uganda’s hospitality sector 33 high-end breakouts/conference and meeting rooms; 5 ballrooms/ banquet halls; 3 indoor and 2 outdoor restaurants and bars, serving multiple cuisines; 2 VIP lounges and 8 outdoor function venues.
The resorts also have a combined 476 accommodation rooms, including 59 presidential suites.
“What we are developing here is the region’s largest, convention centre,” he said.
The first key meetings to be hosted at the world-class facility, include the 19th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit and the G77 South Summits to be held in January 2024 in Kampala, Uganda.
Rajiv Ruparelia, a Director of the Ruparelia Group said that apart from hosting the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) and G77 South Summits, the Speke Resort and Convention Centre will enhance Uganda’s competitiveness in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE) potential and competitiveness.
“This Convention Centre is certainly a much-needed and strategic addition to Uganda’s profile as a competitive destination for key meetings, conferences and trade exhibitions in the region and on the continent. The two summits will be crucial to enhancing and marketing that potential,” Rajiv said.
He added that at the development stage, the USD47 million facility employs 1000 people, working in two shifts, with an indirect impact on 5,000 people in total.
“We need all the support for this project from all people who love development,” Rajiv added.
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