Jackson plans Perth hotel
Jermaine Jackson, brother of late pop icon Michael Jackson, is looking at building a hotel in WA and has visited the East Perth power station as a potential site.
Jackson, who sang alongside his younger brother in the Jackson Five, met representatives of the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority while touring in March with the re-formed singing group.
His visit included a tour of the disused power station and the authority has since given him more information and images of the site.
Details of the scope of Jackson's plans are unclear but Jermajesty Holdings, a company jointly owned by Jackson and Melbourne-based digital media company GoConnect Australia, is building a 350-room hotel in China under the banner of Jermajesty Hotels and Resorts.
That hotel is intended to be filled with Jackson family memorabilia and will include an entertainment centre with seating for 5000.
MRA acting chief executive Sean Henriques confirmed to The Weekend West that Jackson had "expressed an interest in Perth as a potential location for a new hotel".
"The MRA met Mr Jackson and provided an overview of the current redevelopment projects," Mr Henriques said. "The MRA provided a tour of the East Perth power station site."
Built in 1916 and operated until 1981, the power station stands on 8.5ha of land.
It has been listed on the State Register of Heritage Places and although various development proposals have been mooted over the years, none has eventuated.
Jackson and the Australian-listed GoConnect announced last month a "strategic alliance" that saw GoConnect take a 20 per cent stake in Jermajesty Holdings.
"Being involved in the hospitality business is a dream I shared with my brother Michael," Jackson said at the time. "I am absolutely delighted to have GoConnect joining us in this emotional journey."
It is unknown how the joint venture would fund a hotel in Perth.
GoConnect is valued at just $6.8 million on the Australian Securities Exchange based on yesterday's closing share price.
It is not the first time Jackson, 58, has made a foray into Perth.
In 2000, he struck a joint venture with since-defunct computer games retailer Games 'R' Us.
In the same year, Jackson was rumoured to be looking at business and real estate investment opportunities in Perth.
