Run down Rocky hotel served notice for $200K unpaid rates

Rockhampton Regional Council has filed the lawsuit in the district court.

stack of invoices have been paid and marked paid by a red rubber stamp. some of the invoices contained a passed due balance. generic bill paid.

A RUN DOWN Rockhampton hotel has been served with a lawsuit by council for more than $200,000 in unpaid rates and water bills.

Rockhampton Regional Council has filed court action against Chang Holdings, which operates The Rockhampton Plaza Hotel on George St, which has been closed since 2014.

Plaza Hotel South Rockhampton

The lawsuit is for $207,008.05 in outstanding rates and water bills, including arrears and interest up to October 26, 2020.

The court documents state Chang Holdings has failed, neglected and/or refused to pay the debt, despite demands having been made.

Council is entitled to claim interest of 8.5 per cent per annum as per the Local Government Regulation 2012.

A further $2,732.51 has been claimed for court and professional courts.

The total amount is for $209,740.56.

CLH Lawyers is representing Rockhampton Regional Council and filed the case to the Rockhampton District Court on November 2.

Chang Holdings has not yet filed a defence.

 

PLAZA EXTERIOR: When it was open, this is how the pool for the Plaza Hotel appeared.

HOTEL HISTORY

In 1993 the hotel sold for $1.9 million and for $1.5 million in 1988, before it was sold to current owners, Chang Holdings in 1996 for $3 million.

In February 2014,The Morning Bulletin reported the hotel was closed with "no vacancy" signs on the doors and silver chairs bobbing in the pool.

In April 2014, the Rockhampton Plaza Hotel International was temporarily closed so it could undergo a serious refurbishment program with plans to reopen around mid September to early October 2014.

The last review for the 3.5 star motel was in November 2015 where it was reported to be "very run-down".

Inside one of the 66 rooms in the seven story building.

Chang Holdings shareholder and director James Chang told The Morning Bulletin in 2019 he had plans for a $1.6 billion, 38 story high-rise building which would include apartment hotels, a school, gymnasium, hotel management college, a five level (4,000 sqm each) shopping centre, a 1600 sqm rooftop restaurant and entertainment venues.

The Morning Bulletin reported Vision Hotels took over management of the hotel in December 2019 and jobseekers were encouraged to apply for jobs for when it opened.

The hotel was planned to reopen in early March, following a $100,000 to $150,000 extensive refurbishment and repair process.

This partnership dissolved in March and Chang Holdings was reportedly looking for new leasees.

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