The Panthers Group, home of back-to-back NRL Premiers, has signed an agreement with Accor for a new five-star Pullman hotel at the Penrith Panthers precinct in Western Sydney. The landmark precinct will consist of an upscale 153-room Pullman Sydney Penrith hotel, a 1000-person conference centre and a community centre.
The project, opening in the fourth quarter of 2023, is set to transform the area and create a new state-of-the-art business and entertainment destination for the local community and visitors alike.
The hotel will be adjacent to and service the new 1250 sqm Western Sydney Conference Centre (WSCC), which will complement the Group’s current meetings and events business and host industry tradeshows, exhibitions and other major events.
The Panthers Group is one of the largest groups of clubs in NSW, comprising six licensed venues and the Penrith Panthers NRL 2021 and 2022 Premiership team. It has a combined membership of more than 125,000 across clubs at its homebase in Penrith, alongside clubs in Port Macquarie, Bathurst, North Richmond, Glenbrook and Wallacia.
Panthers Group Chief Executive Officer, Brian Fletcher, said: “Pullman Sydney Penrith will be an elevated addition to Western Sydney’s tourism offering and builds upon the existing and upcoming new amenities within the Panthers precinct and the wider Penrith locale.
“It is part of our ongoing commitment to deliver world-class facilities to the local community. This development will further enhance Penrith’s reputation as a world-class event and tourism destination.”
The City of Penrith is expected to experience a significant tourism boom in the next few years, with additional major infrastructure works underway, including the new Western Sydney International Airport which is a 30-minute drive away and is set to open in 2026.
Accor Pacific Chief Executive Officer, Sarah Derry, said: “We are thrilled to partner with the Panthers Group to deliver Pullman Sydney Penrith. Western Sydney is widely renowned as the engine room of Sydney and we are incredibly proud of our thriving hotels and incredible teams here.
“Pullman Sydney Penrith will offer leisure and business travellers memorable guest experiences and superb facilities and, once open, this hotel will quickly become the leading accommodation choice in Penrith.
“Sport plays a crucial role in Australian culture and, by tourism and sporting organisations working together, our guests have the ability to enjoy incredible experiences and service.”
The community centre will serve as a hub for local organisations to operate from, with flexible space for a broad range of community programs. The Panthers Group anticipate this space as a flexible, multi-purpose venue that will enable organisations within the Penrith Community that are helping challenged and vulnerable locals to expand their programs and operate within a state-of-the-art building close to all local amenities.
Accor also operates Mercure Penrith, adjacent to the Penrith Panthers precinct and will continue to work with the Panthers Group.