Southampton: ‘Golden bolt’ for Ageas Bowl hotel
Representatives from Hampshire Cricket, Eastleigh Borough Council and Ageas UK gathered at The Ageas Bowl today to perform the “Golden Bolt” ceremony which marks the completion of the framework of the hotel being built at the northern end of the ground.
Hampshire Cricket chairman Rod Bransgrove; mayor of Eastleigh, Rupert Kyrle; and director of communications and public affairs for Ageas UK, Paul Lynes, were on hand to apply the final bolt to the structure which will soon become a four-star, 175-bedroom Hilton.
Bransgrove said; “This is a really important milestone in a very exciting project and I am happy that our partners from both the public and private sector can be with us to help us celebrate.
“The presence of the hotel structure has already created a real buzz and I think people are really starting to see what an asset this hotel is going to be to the area. We’ve still got some way to go but I can’t wait to see the completed venue.”
It comes in the week that the club sold its 100th Diamond Debenture in the hotel. The Diamond Debenture scheme promises a 6% return on investment over a fixed five-year term as well as the opportunity to purchase one of the best seats at The Ageas Bowl for every major match until 2017.
The club’s previously-available Platinum, Gold and Silver Debentures, which were launched in 2009, were fully subscribed in just four months.
A single Diamond Debenture is priced at £7,500 and proceeds will be used to assist with the re-financing being undertaken by The Ageas Bowl to complete the final stages of the venue development. A total of 260 Diamond Debentures have been made available and are open to individual savers, while individuals or corporate clients can also purchase a “Diamond Cluster” package which offers exclusive access to a private suite for up to 10 people for £70,000.
The Ageas Bowl will host a minimum of 12 days of international cricket up to the end of summer 2016, and Australia, India and Pakistan will all visit the iconic venue.
