Carlson plans property in Bhubaneswar

US-based international hotel and resort company Carlson Hotels Worldwide is exploring the possibility of lining up an investment of Rs 500 crore in Orissa, according to state government sources.

The investments would go in for setting up a 5-star hotel, a hotel apartment and a shopping mall.

The hotel chain could not be contacted for confirmation.

Discussions on Carlson investments are currently at the highest levels of the Orissa government.

Carlson representatives recently gave a presentation to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Delhi.

The government is currently is in the process of identifying land for Carlson.

Orissa government sources pointed out, that in all probabilities land for Carlson would be made available around the Infocity- the Bhubaneswar IT hub. Bhubaneswar, of late, is witnessing a boom in hotel industry with chains like Best Western showing interest in coming to the state.

ITC Welcom Group Sheraton brand of hotels, Lakshmi Franklin Hospitality and real estate major Unitech have also shown their interest on ventures in Orissa. It is for the state government to finally decide and find out land for them.

Says a highly placed state government official, "Carlson had evinced interest to come to Orissa in a big way. For them, we are also ready to roll out the red carpet."

Carlson Companies, headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA is a global leader in hospitality services encompassing more than 1,700 hotels, resorts, restaurants and cruise ship operations in 82 countries employing over 1.9 lakh people across the globe.

The global hotel chains brands include Regent Hotels and Resorts, Radisson Hotels and Resorts, Park Plaza Hotels and Resorts, Country Inns and Suites By Carlson and Park Inn.

Almost three decades into hospitality services Carlson currently have 410 Country Inns and Suites in different parts of the globe.

There are about 15 hotels in India located at various places.

They include Paradeep, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Ludhiana and Hyderabad.

Carlson also has properties at Ahmedabad, Chennai, Goa and Bangalore.

With a view to deliver high value and quality for business and leisure and professional travel, Carlsons global operations are divided into three broad theatres "" The Americas, Europe and Middle East and Africa (EMEA).