A NEW lease for the Hepburn Spa will be advertised in January to ensure the best long-term tenant for the $10 million development be appointed, Hepburn Shire councillor Bill McClenaghan has said.
At a meeting with Ballarat East MLA Geoff Howard, representatives from Hepburn Shire Council Business and Community Liason Group, Hepburn Spa, the Bathhouse Community Consultative group, Major Projects Victoria, Regional Development
Victoria, Hepburn Regional Tourism Association and the Department of Sustainability and the Environment, at Parliament House, it was decided the development would not be staggered and the lessee would be announced mid-2007.
Cr McClenaghan said the lessee would have plenty of time to prepare by the time Hepburn Spa opened in early 2008.
"The prospective tenant will be able to put in a detailed submission which will be thoroughly checked," he said. "An independent probity auditor will be appointed to ensure everything is fair and above board. There will be no special treatment given
to anyone - the lease process will be open and transparent."
Hepburn Regional Tourism Association president Nigel Dempster said the association would keep the government "on their toes" to bring the lease forward.
Tenders for builders close on August 24.
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