Sri Lanka wild life park lures Shangri-La

Feb 25, 2011 (LBO) - Hong Kong based Shangri-La hotels has looked at two sites including one close to a well-known wild life reserve in southern Sri Lanka to site its second proposed hotel, an official said.





Deputy minister for economic development Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene said visiting Shangri-La officials had examined a site close to the Yala nature reserve on the south coast.

The Yala park is well known for its leopards and elephants.

Shangri-La is also considering another location close to a big port being built in Hambantota, on the island's southern tip, he told Vimasuma.

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The international hotel chain will select one of the two sites, Abeywardene said.

The hotel group is expected to start work in three months on its first hotel in Sri Lanka, on recently acquired state land close to the popular Galle Face Green promenade in the capital Colombo.

"Shangri-La plans to start work on their second hotel in Hambantota after starting the Colombo project," Abeywardene said.

Shangri-La is to build a 500 million dollar hotel and property project paying 125 US dollars for a 99-year lease in Colombo.