TOWNSVILLE, NORTH QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA— Australian developer Laing O’Rourke has unveiled plans for a new US$73 million multi-level resort condominium and residential building in Townsville, to be managed by Outrigger Hotels & Resorts. Construction on the project is slated to begin in mid-2008, with a projected completion in late 2009.

Plans for the site include 120 condominium apartments with a total letting pool of 160 keys to be managed by Outrigger, together with 24 private residence units that will include a private residents’ club facility.

Resort facilities will include a lagoon-style pool, 24-hour reception and tour desk, fitness room, private boardroom and breakfast area, along with ground floor restaurant and retail outlets to complement the alfresco dining precinct.

The Townsville project marks the third of Outrigger’s most current ventures in Australia. Outrigger in November assumed management of Outrigger Twin Towns Resort located at the twin towns of Coolangatta and Tweed Heads astride the boarder of Queensland and New South Wales. Outrigger also will manage Outrigger Viridian Resort & Spa in Noosa when it opens in 2009. Outrigger’s growing Australia inventory is part of its overall Asia Pacific expansion strategy that includes the recent announcement of the company’s first resort property in Phuket, Thailand, along with two projects currently underway in Bali.