Deal profile I Gadens acts on UOL Group’s acquisition of Pan Pacific Hotel, South Wharf, Melbourne

Gadens in Melbourne has acted for Singapore-based and SGX-listed, UOL Group Limited (UOL Group) in relation to its acquisition of the long-term leasehold interest and associated business of a strategically located five star hotel in South Wharf, Melbourne. Following completion of the acquisition this morning, UOL has re-branded the hotel as a Pan Pacific Hotel.

Gadens was engaged to undertake comprehensive due diligence investigations, negotiate the terms of the property and business asset sale agreement and attend to completion of the transaction. Gadens also provided specialist advice in relation to regulatory and tax aspects of the transaction.

Key players:

Gadens partner Andrew Kennedy and Clare Peacock, special counsel led the team. Other lawyers involved in the transaction included partners, Jeremy Smith (Corporate), Siobhan Mulcahy (Employment Advisory) and Adam Howell (Banking and Finance) in addition to Dayna Thomas and John Darmanin (Property), Jodie Dennis and Akshay Naidoo (Corporate), Marion Cole (Employment Advisory), Harveen Dhaliwal (Banking and Finance) and Philippa Gilkes (Tax).

Deal significance:

The hotel boasts 396 rooms and the acquisition is part of UOL Group’s plans to expand its hotel property portfolio and hotel management businesses in the region, adding to its existing PARKROYAL Melbourne Airport asset and other Pan Pacific and PARKROYAL sites across Australia.

Gadens partner Andrew Kennedy says:

“We are pleased to have been able to assist UOL Group in expanding its hotel property portfolio and hotel management businesses in Australia. UOL Group is one of Singapore’s leading publicly listed property companies with an extensive portfolio of development and investment properties, hotels and serviced suites. UOL Group has numerous hotels in Asia, Oceania and North America under the two renowned brands of “Pan Pacific” and “PARKROYAL”. This was a fantastic transaction to work closely with UOL Group on, as it involved bringing together the wide range of skills and expertise that are available within Gadens in Melbourne. We look forward to working again with UOL Group in the future.”