Dublin decides on contract for conference site

The contract to develop the national conference centre site on Dublin's dockside has finally been awarded after a lengthy tender process.

Spencer Dock Development has clinched the deal for the development, which will house a five-star and a four-star hotel, with a total of 500 bedrooms, as well as the 3,000-seat conference centre.

Treasury Holdings, which owns two-thirds of the winning consortium, also owns a site in Dublin's College Green, where conservationists have been fighting to preserve the existing streetscape.

Hilton, which was to open its first Dublin hotel there, pulled out last year because of planning delays. The company may now take space in the conference centre instead. Treasury Holdings would say only that no decision had been taken on who would run the hotels.