Rosewood Hotel Group Advances Central Clubhouse Operator Change Despite Member Opposition

Rosewood Hotel Group in Hong Kong will press ahead with a controversial plan to change operators at a clubhouse in Central on August 8, despite escalating opposition from a group of members, the South China Morning Post has learned.

Sources said recently the hotelier’s Carlyle & Co private club would take over the operations of the Town Club in Central from sports entity, Hong Kong Golf & Tennis Academy (HKGTA), as planned.

However, a group of HKGTA patrons were still pursuing ways to oppose the takeover, including writing to the Legislative Council Secretariat, following the filing of complaints with the Consumer Council and the Customs and Excise Department regarding the Trade Descriptions Ordinance.

“The transitional changes will proceed as planned on 8 August,” an insider said.

Rosewood had delayed the operation change by two months from June.

In what Rosewood called a rebranding of the Town Club, the takeover of the operations surfaced about several months ago and triggered the anger of a group of HKGTA members especially the perpetual ones.

They had paid as much as HK$2.68 million (US$342,086) for a perpetual membership and said they learned from news reports that Carlyle & Co would take over operations of the Town Club in Central in early June.