Oxford United Radisson-branded hotel plans

Image: Oxford United

The English Football League (EFL) Championship team Oxford United F.C. (UK) recently announced the signing of the Radisson Hotel Group who will partner with the club to deliver a new-build, 180-room Radisson-branded hotel.

‘OXFORD UNITED’ stated that the above development will form part of the proposed development on the land known as ‘The Triangle’, North of Oxford (UK) where the club aims to create a sustainable sports, entertainment and lifestyle landmark.

Preston (UK)-based the English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League it is the oldest football league in the world and was the top-level football league in England from its foundation until 1992 when the top 22 clubs split from it to form the Premier League, the top of the English football league system. The Football League was rebranded as the ‘English Football League’ (EFL) starting with the 2016-2017 seasons.

The Oxford United Football Club is a professional football club based in Oxford, England (UK). The club compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football.

The 12,500-capacity Kassam Stadium (also known as the Grenoble Road) is the home of the Oxford United F.C. and is named after the ground’s Owner and the former Chairman of the football club Firoz Kassam.

‘The Triangle’ refers to the proposed site of a new stadium for the Oxford United Football Club located East of Frieze Way and South of the Kidlington roundabout where the club plans to build a 16,000-capacity stadium.

Brussels (Belgium)-based the Radisson Hotel Group is an international hotel group operating in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia-Pacific (APAC) with over 1,320 hotels in operation and under development in +95 countries. The international hotel group is rapidly expanding with a plan to significantly grow the portfolio.

‘OXFORD UNITED’ further stated that more than half of the hotel’s guest rooms will overlook the pitch and will feature fresh Scandinavian design providing a calming environment with neutral tones and natural materials. The ground floor will include a restaurant where the guests and the visitors can unwind and socialize, or enjoy something to eat before or after watching a game.

The site will include a 16,000-capacity stadium, a 1,000-capacity conference and exhibition center and the 180-room Radisson hotel as well as the bars, the restaurants and the fitness and entertainment facilities. It will create almost 1,000 jobs to support the local economy.

Asserted Adam Benson, Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer at Oxford United, “Signing an agreement of this nature marks a major milestone for the stadium development. The fact that we can attract a partner of the caliber of the Radisson Hotel Group is a real endorsement of the world-class complex we are looking to build. At every stage of the process the Radisson team demonstrated a real understanding of what we are trying to achieve. Their offering, accommodation and the associated facilities will fit perfectly with the overall development ensuring an exceptional experience for all the visitors. The hotel is a key part of our plans to create a multipurpose venue whilst supporting the club’s ability to operate an economically sustainable long-term home.”

The visitor experience has been placed at the heart of the design of the project with the inclusion of community-focused open public green spaces which will enhance the biodiversity of the site as well as being available to deliver increased education, health and well-being programs.

Added Jonathon Clarke, Development Director at Oxford United, “We conducted a thorough tender process for our hotel partner and the Radisson Hotel Group stood out for their strong sustainability credentials, beautiful design and understanding of how to integrate a hotel into a leisure and community facility. The standards they set are world-class – from interior design and visitor experience – through to sustainability. Our visions are perfectly aligned and we look forward to working together.”

Averred Adela Cristea, Vice-President, Business Development UK, Ireland and Nordics at the Radisson Hotel Group, “We are proud to have been chosen as the hotel partner for this very exciting and forward-thinking development. The Radisson brand is the perfect choice for a project focused on sustainable living and we look forward to enhancing the guest experience for the visitors to the stadium.”

As part of Oxford United’s pledge to deliver a state-of-the-art stadium it will use a low-carbon energy supply to create an “all- electric” stadium with power also generated by the solar panels making it the most environmentally sustainable mid-sized stadium to be built in the United Kingdom.

The stadium will provide numerous public transport options and will create new connections for the wider community with an East to West pedestrian and cycle route. The stadium will sit next to the Oxford Parkway train station which offers a short five-minute connection to Oxford’s Central Train Station plus a Park and Ride site for the local bus services.

The property joins the Radisson Hotel Group’s rapidly growing United Kingdom and Ireland portfolio which includes almost 80 hotels in operation and under development.

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