A consortium of Bermudian and international businesses and individuals has been selected to develop the Par-la-Ville car park into a luxury city hotel.

And the Par-la-Ville Hotel Company is now in ?advanced discussions? with five-star hotel operator Ritz Carlton in the hope that the luxury chain will run the new resort.

Yesterday Mayor of Hamilton Lawson Mapp told : ?The Corporation reviewed a number of excellent submissions, but ultimately concluded that the concept put forward by the Par-la-Ville Hotel Company provided the most promise for the future of the City.

?The Corporation of Hamilton has entered into negotiations with the Par-la-Ville Hotel Company.

?The Par-la-Ville Hotel Company, which is to be incorporated, is a consortium of Bermudian and international business and individuals, including: John Gardner of Cooper & Gardner Architects, Buddy Rego of Rego Realtors, David Dodwell of the Reefs, Russ Urban of Island Resorts Collection and 9 Beaches, Aideen Ratteray-Pryse of ARP Consulting Services, Allan Burland of BCM-McAlpine, Chris Swan of Chris Swan and Co. and Allen and Jonathan Novak of Lano International, Inc. in Washington, D.C.

?The Par-la-Ville Hotel Company is in advanced discussions with international, luxury five-star hotel company Ritz Carlton.?

The development of the site into a luxury hotel has long been an ambition of the Corporation ? although significant uncertainty over who should be awarded the development contract has prevented the scheme from moving forward.

Last year, the Corporation invited fresh bids for the project after rejecting a $110 million bid from Regent hotel developers, the Carlson Group without any public explanation ? much to the chagrin of Tourism Minister Ewart Brown who urged the Corporation to ?get a move on?.