Corinthia Hotels International (CHI) is to operate Liverpool’s first Ramada Plaza Hotel for Vermont Developments, CHI announced today.

The 173-room Ramada Plaza Liverpool will be aimed at corporate and high end leisure customers and will feature a fine dining restaurant, spa and state of the art business centre with conference facilities. More than 150 full time jobs will be created by the scheduled opening in June 2010.

The hotel will be the hallmark of Vermont’s development of The Quarter, one of Liverpool’s most eagerly anticipated new destination developments. The mixed-use scheme will form a dramatic gateway into Liverpool city centre, featuring a graceful 22-storey residential tower, office accommodation, retail and leisure space and a new public square.

Mark Connor, chief executive of Vermont Developments, said: “The successful conclusion of these negotiations is a major milestone for our developments. Ramada Plaza is one of the world’s foremost hotel brands and to secure such a prestigious hotel operator as CHI is a testament to the quality of the scheme and Liverpool’s growing international reputation. We are looking forward to seeing the Ramada Plaza hotel at The Quarter providing a welcome addition to the emerging hotel strip along Liverpool’s waterfront.”

Tony Potter chief executive officer of CHI, said: “We are thrilled to be bringing the upscale Ramada Plaza Brand to Liverpool for the first time in collaboration with Vermont, adding to our ever growing International presence. Ever since our joint venture with Wyndham Hotel Group, which names us as the hotel management company for Wyndham Hotel Group managed hotels in Europe, Middle East and Africa region operating under the Corinthia, Ramada Plaza and Wyndham brands, we have moved swiftly to pioneer all three brands in new destinations, with a Corinthia Hotel property in Rumania, a Wyndham hotel in Morocco, a Ramada Hotel and Suites in Dubai and four Ramada Plaza hotels in The Czech Republic, Hungary, Tunisia and now the United Kingdom. We are confident that this trend will be sustained with further additions to our managed portfolio over the next few years, making our management capabilities amongst the strongest in the region.”