After more than seven years of waiting Ipswich City Council announced a new operator of the Commonwealth Hotel at an extraordinary (or special) meeting on Thursday 10 March 2022. This meeting followed the regular round of committee meetings. In a statement issued later mayor Teresa Harding said the hotel would act as an anchor tenant for the Nicholas Street Precinct. Ipswich Central Redevelopment Committee chairperson Cr Marnie Doyle said while the Commonwealth Hotel had been meticulously restored to maintain its heritage façade, the forthcoming extension of the hotel will transform the site into a state-of-the-art dining and entertainment hub. Also in this episode you will hear how council came to own the hotel and preserving heritage does not come cheap. Published: 15 March 2022. Music: www.purple-planet.com Image: Mayor Teresa Harding, AusHotels managing director Jim Davies and Ipswich Central Redevelopment Committee chairperson Cr Marnie Doyle outside the Commonwealth Hotel in Union Place (supplied) AusHotels: https://www.aushotels.net.au/ Council meeting agendas and minutes: bit.ly/2JlrVKY Council meetings on YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/IpswichCityCouncilTV Nicholas Street Precinct: www.nicholasst.com.au/ Ipswich Civic Centre: www.ipswichciviccentre.com.au/ Discover Ipswich: www.discoveripswich.com.au/ Ipswich Art Gallery: www.ipswichartgallery.qld.gov.au/ Studio 188: www.studio188.com.au/ Stream audio recommended. If auto download enabled some apps require a re-download or refresh RSS content to hear most recent version should there be an episode updateIpswich Today is supported by listeners like you. Help keep it online with a small one-off or regular donation. Visit https://ipswichtoday.com.au/Advertise on Ipswich Today https://ipswichtoday.com.au/advertising/Ipswich Today recommended listening: Twenty Thousand Hertz - stories behind the world's most recognisable and interesting sounds https://www.20k.org/