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Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung turned the ceremonial shovel, breaking ground on two major big projects on Saturday in the Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

Dung participated in groundbreaking for the Laguna-Hue resort complex at Cu Du beach and the Sai Gon-Chan
May Duty-Free Industrial Park.

Singapore’s Banyan Tree group is building the resort complex on 280ha in Phu Loc District’s Loc Vinh commune. To be built at a cost of US$875 million, the complex will include seven luxury hotels with 2,000 rooms in total, over 1,000 luxury apartments, a spa, shopping areas, an international convention centre, golf course, and entertainment and recreational facilities.

The first phase of the project, which include two hotels with 350 rooms and an 18-hole golf course, is scheduled for completion in 2012. Total investment in this phase will amount to $200 million.

Dung praised provincial efforts to spur development. He said, "With such a large-scale project, the Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone would be a driving force for the central region as a whole."

Banyan Tree chairman Ho Kwon Ping said that the prime location of Cu Du beach, situated between the ancient city of Hue and the city of Da Nang, was a major factor in the group’s decision to choose the location for its resort project."

The beach is within 100km of the World Heritage sites of Hue, Hoi An and the My Son Cham tower complex in Quang Nam Province.

Meanwhile, the Sai Gon-Chan May Industrial Zone is being built on a 658ha site at a cost of about VND1.3 trillion ($71 million) and is scheduled for completion in 2014.

 Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, Dung asked provincial authorities to cooperate with investors in building vocational schools and creating more employment opportunities for industrial zone workers.

Thua Thien-Hue People’s Committee chairman Nguyen Ngoc Thien said the 27,100ha Chan May-Lang Co Economic
Zone was one of 13 economic zones approved by the Government nationwide.

It has already attracted 33 projects worth a combined $2 billion. Ten of these investment projects have  been put into operation, he said

NVT