Badgerys Creek: West’s airport boom is taking off

EXCLUSIVE: Hotel owners like Harry Hunt are capitalising on the growth in the southwest, with millions of dollars already invested ahead of Sydney’s second airport at Badgerys Creek.

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HOTEL owners are capitalising on the growth in the southwest, with millions of dollars already invested ahead of Sydney’s second airport at Badgerys Creek.

Harry Hunt is one of the area’s long-time players, having owned Country Comfort Hunts Liverpool for 40 years. He started out with a humble 20 rooms and charged $10 a night. These days he has 140 rooms and a four-and-a-half-star rating.

Mr Hunt said he never could have predicted the growth and expansion that is currently being experienced in the southwest when he started his business in the area.

Harry Hunt said he was astonished at the growth in the south west region. Picture: Jonathan Ng

As the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce president, Mr Hunt said there would be tens of thousands of rooms available in the Liverpool local government area once Sydney’s second airport was built at Badgerys Creek.

“It won’t just be our area, it’ll be every LGA surrounding the airport,” he said.

“I’m sure there will ­already be big chains and hotel developers already having long-term plans or options on land in Liverpool. There will be a piece of the pie for everyone and it will bring us into the 21st century.

Country Comfort Hunts Liverpool hotel in the 60s.

“And when you’ve got big players coming in, that alone says we’re no longer the little country town we were.”

Mr Hunt said as the airport got closer, more hotel developers would join the ranks.

“In the first year of operation at the airport, you’re looking at about a three million passenger turnover, and that will grow,” Mr Hunt said. “Consider not only the passengers wanting accommodation, but the airlines that might want to book 40 rooms every night for its ­pilots and airline crew.

“Not in my wildest dreams did I think we’d have this sort of growth. I’ve been lucky to have grown with Liverpool. I remember when Liverpool to the Crossroads (Glenfield) was a single lane each way and there was no freeway to Campbelltown.”

Samantha Cantarella, 19 from Cecil Hills in the hotel bar. Picture: Jonathan Ng

One of the newer players in Liverpool accommodation, Quest Liverpool on Scott St, is also banking on solid growth, spending $20 million on 88 rooms in the past 12 months, catering to both leisure and corporate types.

Owner Tom Wang said Liverpool would become a major hub connecting Sydney’s two airports.

“I’m full of confidence that this is a massive opportunity,” Mr Wang said.

Mr Wang wants to capitalise on Sydney’s second airport coming to the west, with plans to open another site on the same scale as Quest Liverpool.

“But maybe a little closer to the airport site,” Mr Wang said.

“I’m full of confidence that this is a massive opportunity”

“The majority of our customers are from the corporate sector. That’s been our focus and that will continue to grow. When you’re operating you don’t just limit things to the current picture, instead taking a more long-term approach.

“We’ve been open almost 12 months and business has been very good — much better than anyone was expecting.

“In a few years time, there won’t be enough hotel or motel rooms for the demand.”

Ammar Khan, the man behind resurrecting the defunct Wonderland amusement park, still has plans to open in the west with his eyes on sites in Badgerys Creek.

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As part of his Wonderland masterplan, he wants to build two styles of accommodation — a themed-motel and Sydney’s first six-star hotel.

“One would be high class and the other more affordable. Investors are saying London and New York do accommodation well, but not quite here in Australia,” he said.

Another company looking to relocate to the west as part of its long-term strategy is thoroughbred industry heavyweights Inglis, which is shifting its head office and auction ­facilities from Newmarket in Randwick to Warwick Farm.

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The family-owned company has acquired 10 hectares of land adjoining Warwick Farm Racecourse and plans to hold its first major yearling sales there in early-2019 after investing $114 million in the site.

Plans include $15 million for up to 1000 stables, $22 million on offices and the selling facility auditorium, and a further $28 million on a five-level, 145-room hotel.

Nearby, The Holiday Inn at The Warwick has just refurbished its 146 rooms, while the Ibis Budget Casula is in the middle of refurbishing its 74 rooms that accommodate about 200 people at any one time.

The Mercure Hotel at Prestons is spending a further $30 million to almost double its ­capacity. It includes an extra 84 rooms, with a particular focus on long-term stayers and corporate types.