Schwartz installs Rydges to operate his own personal wine country

The nation’s largest private owner of hotels, Jerry Schwartz, has hired Australian-owned EVT to operate his Hunter Valley resort.

Dr Jerry Schwartz is Australia’s largest private hotel owner.

The nation’s largest private owner of hotels, Jerry Schwartz, has hired Australian-owned EVT as the new operator of his sprawling Hunter Valley resort complex in NSW’s wine country following the end of IHG’s 10-year management agreement.

The 414-room Crowne Plaza resort will be relaunched in May as the Rydges Resort Hunter Valley after Rydges beat other suitors, including Hilton, Accor and Marriott.

Dr Schwartz, who already has Rydges managing four of his other hotels, said he was impressed by the company’s food and beverage offerings as well as its strength in reservations and ability to run conferences.

Subject to council approval he is considering developing a $15m, 100-room hotel on the large estate as well as adding a staged $30m tennis academy.

“I am continually updating it and we are now finishing three equestrian arenas for the first Hunter Valley equestrian event in a few weeks’ time,” he said.

“I am also putting in a water slide, roller coaster, relocating the brewery to larger premises and putting in glamping domes.

The outdoor facilities of the Crowne Plaza Hunter Valley.

“We are starting off with three glamping domes and if that is successful we will put in half a dozen.”

He said the hotel currently operated at about 75-80 per cent occupancy and about 95 per cent on the weekends and during holiday periods.

Rydges operates 45 properties across Australia and New Zealand. The Hunter Valley property will be the fifth hotel that EVT will manage for the Schwartz Family Company.

Under the deal there is also an extension of Rydges World Square Sydney and Rydges Sydney Central management contract for the Schwartz Family Company-owned hotels.

EVT director of hotels and resorts Norman Arundel said Rydges was committed to retaining the current staff in the Hunter Valley and that the hospitality industry was experiencing a staff shortage.

“Being an Australian company makes a big difference. We will integrate ourselves in the local community,” he said.

“There is a bit of staff shortage (but) being an Australian company we are not just a hotel company, we are movies, we have over 150 restaurants, we have Thredbo we have launched great staff wellness and support services; being Australian makes a big difference.

“We have a good relationship with Jerry Schwartz … we have an aligned culture with the Schwartz Family Company, the other four hotels have been great successes and both Jerry Schwartz and EVT are committed to doing more together.

“We are very respectful of the existing business. Jerry has a commitment to going forward; we want to get in there and pull those plans together in the months ahead.”