Here is a first look at what a proposed Ritz Carlton hotel in the heart of Hamilton's international business quarter is expected to look like once completed.

Ground-breaking for the multi-million dollar project is anticipated to begin in the first few months of 2007 once final negotiations involving developers are completed. As reported in The Royal Gazette on Saturday, the project has been granted a special development order giving it "in principle" planning approval.

It is envisaged the new hotel, on the site of the Par-la-Ville car park, will have 150 guest rooms and suites and a further 60 luxury residential apartments, including roof top gardens and a swimming pool. A 20,000-square foot conference hall will be created along with boutique shops along Par-la-Ville Road and Church Street.

Some 330 jobs and an injection of $200 million into the economy are also projected by the developer Unified Resorts Limited. The Ritz Carlton hotel chain has been touted as the likely operator of what will primarily be a business hotel in the centre of the city's financial and business neighbourhood.

And the prospect of a classy hotel plump in the middle of town has caught the imagination of many Bermuda-based business leaders according to Unified Resorts director Donal Smith.

"Many of the international businesses have contacted us and are very excited with this development and are waiting in anticipation of the ground-breaking," said Mr. Smith.

He paid tribute to the efforts of the Corporation of Hamilton in working towards making the hotel a viable proposition.

"Alderman David Dunkley, the former deputy mayor, has worked closely with this project and we applaud his efforts in assisting, as has the Corporation as a whole, in guiding us through to where we are today."

Unified Resorts anticipates it will tap into a high demand within the corporate sector for city centre lodgings.

The new hotel will also bring with it 500 car parking spaces in three underground levels, and see an expansion of the Par-la-Ville park northwards.

Alderman Mr. Dunkley believes the project will make the leap from design table concept to construction site reality within a few months.

He has been instrumental in putting together the development team and views it as the best to have come forward with a proposal for the site in recent times.

He said: "This project is going to happen. The support from Premier Dr. Ewart Brown and the Corporation has made a beautiful team.

"It will be a great thing for the city and Bermuda. We have not had a new hotel in Bermuda for 35 years."