By Renn Offor
There is a $450million mixed used development plan that is now on hold because of some peoples resort to self-help. The investor has become a victim of power play, that is how how best to describe the bad news coming out of Federal Palace Hotel and Casinos, Lagos.
This was revealed when Atqnews paid a courtesy call on the General Manager of’ Federal Palace Hotel and Casinos.
African travel news (atqnews.com) have enjoyed mutual relationships over the years; and as part of the effort to further add value and benefits to the relationship, Atqnews.com paid the hotel a courtesy visit to its facility.
The team was received by Mr. David Kliegel, the General Manager of Federal Palace Hotel and Casinos, Lagos.
Excited about the visit, Mr. Kliegel, who has over 30 years’ experience working in different areas of operations, development and management in hospitality industry, while fielding questions from the media outfit explained that the Federal Palace Hotel is still fully committed to delivering its excellent luxury for which the Sun International brand, which is the management company of the hotel is known worldwide. Sun holds 49.3 per cent of FPH.
‘Sun International has some of the most beautiful and iconic hotels in Africa. Like the Palace of the Lost City at Sun City; it is a spectacularly beautiful hotel’.
He equally took time to clear the air on the rumour that the company is moving out of the country. ‘In my opinion, if they get a buyer, they might sell’, he said. Then, he exclaimed: ‘I am here! I am going nowhere’!
The General Manager talked about lots of 
challenges confronting the hospitality business, but that in the midst of it all, just as they survived Ebola, election fever, forex issues and other problems, the hospitality business would continue to move forward.
It would be recalled that Sun International is a resort hotel chain and casino destination from South Africa created by Sol Kerzner, probably best known for its Sun City Resort near Rustenburg in the North West Province.
Sun International traces its roots back to 1969, when the Southern Sun Hotel Company was created when South African Breweries and Sol Kerzner joined forces.
In 1983, South African Breweries splits its hotel interests into two. Sun International, headed by Sol Kerzner, retained all the casino hotels located in the areas that South Africa had designated as “independent homelands” and had Southern Sun as a 20% stakeholder. Southern Sun retained the company’s other hotels in South Africa. Sun bought over the gambling operations of Holiday Inn in Southern Africa and consolidated.
After the end of Apartheid in South Africa in the early 1990s, the so-called homelands were re-integrated into the new South Africa. Southern Sun developed its own gaming resorts and began to compete increasingly with Sun International. In 2000, Southern Sun 
sold its stake in Sun International to Kersaf.
Today, the Sun International brand operations include resorts, luxury hotel products, and casinos, across 27 destinations in 8 countries, in Africa and South America.
Recently, there have been stakeholder squabbles at the holding company of FPH and this has led to comical accusations and a court case. FPH and Sun International have been caught in the middle of the disagreement between the parties. They have become victims of the zealousness of the interested parties.
FPH is a five star rated casino hotel in Victoria Island Lagos. It has one of the best green areas in Victoria Island with a waterfront and gulf putting place by its swimming pool, fa
cing the Atlantic Ocean.
The full interview will run in the coming days. It talks about the experience, the promise and the challenges of running a world class property in an infrstructurally challenged environment.
The African Travel News team was led by the publisher, Mr. Ikechi Uko, in the company of Mr. Renn Offor and Mr. Friday Nwosu.
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Whetted our Tummmy but left it rumbling.