Hotel chains have expressed an interest in opening premises at Dundee Railway Station.
The news was welcomed by Dundee council administration leader Ken Guild, who hopes that any shortage of hotel beds in the city centre following the closure of the Hilton Hotel at the end of this month will be short-lived.
He also hopes any surplus of redundant hotel workers in the city after the Hilton shuts will be temporary.
The council last year unveiled plans for a £14 million redevelopment of the much-maligned station. Based on a crescent-shaped gateway design, to complement the V&A and other buildings in the central waterfront, its centrepiece will be a new hotel.
Mr Guild said: “At least two hotel chains have shown interest in opening at the station and this is very encouraging. We will see how this goes but I would hope whichever one gets the site would be interested in employing any staff from the Hilton who don’t find jobs once their hotel closes.
“I understand the people behind the new Malmaison Hotel, which is to open later this year, have also said they would be happy to interview Hilton staff, and there is also the possibility of jobs at the Hilton DoubleTree, which is replacing the Landmark Hotel.
“All in all, with these and other hotel developments that are being discussed there is one planned for Custom House I would hope that any shortage in hotel beds in the centre after the Hilton closes will not last long.
“The same goes for any Hilton staff who are out of work. We want hotels in the city centre and these developments are happening.”
The council is paying £8.5 million to the Hilton and Gala Casino to compulsorily terminate their leases on March 31 because their 1.26 hectare linked site is needed for the £1 billion central waterfront project.
Ninety jobs will go with the closure of the four-star 129 bedroom Hilton, which has been a fixture in Dundee for 30 years.
Asked for the company’s thoughts on maintaining a presence in the city and the prospects for its employees, a Hilton spokesman said: “The Landmark Hotel in Dundee is to be converted into a DoubleTree by Hilton hotel so we will continue to have a presence.
“We are still actively looking to further expand our presence across Scotland.
“With regards to Hilton Dundee we are making every effort to redeploy team members wherever possible, which is a process that is still ongoing.”