US $ 20m resort hotel on East coast

An international 5-star luxury resort, JA Eclipse Beach Resort will be build on the Eastern coast with an investment of US $ 20 million.

An MoU to build and operate the hotel was signed between Gravity Resort Group, the developer and Dubai-based international luxury resort operator, JA Resorts and Hotels in Colombo recently.

The hotel with a beachfront of 450 metres is being designed by local architects L.W. Associates to LEED certification standard.

"Our investment in Sri Lanka and our focus on the East coast in particular, comes at a time when global trends in luxury travel have aligned with Sri Lanka's mix of sunshine, natural beauty and ancient culture. We strongly believe in Sri Lanka's long-term appeal, Chairman, Gravity Group, Christopher Bateman said.

"We expect the resort will bring significant social and economic benefits to the local community and personal development opportunities. The resort will boost Eastern Province tourism and be a hallmark in the local hospitality industry, Director, Gravity Group, Deepal Ahangama said.

"With over 30 years of experience in managing and operating resorts and hotels, the MoU represents continued international development to expand our range of products," Chief Operating Officer, JA Resorts and Hotels, David Thomson said.

The conceptual designs of the hotel will be completed shortly and the resort is due to be opened in 2017.