Basra Gateway hotel info on the newest Iraq hotel
Looking for information on the newest Iraq hotel? Here is a compiled list of the known information of the Basra Gateway Hotel.
The What: Basra Gateway is also known as Basra Logistic City. Basra Logistic City has a 15 ft berm surrounding it complete with guard towers. This new state of the art and business location was once the detainee center known as Camp Bucca. The US military ran detention center housed over 100,000 detainees in 6 years time. The Basra Gateway Hotel that is located inside the Basra Logistic City uses former military housing units for hotel rooms. With some rooms equipped with plumbing these rooms are said to be going for $190 a night. Though not currently your typical idea of a hotel site, these rooms have impressive dirt berms that surround it and actually have walls unlike some other staying facilities. The fencing and coil razor wire though may seem eerie to some actually help with the safety of the hotel. In keeping with the idea of safety instead of the usual doorman in a crisp jacket this hotel sports a doorman that carries a gun.
The When: Named after Ronal Bucca a soldier with the 800th Military Police Brigade and a NYC Fire Marshall who died in the 9/1 attacks Camp Bucca was closed by the US Military in September 2009. The base was formerly known as Camp Freddy, a British Detainee Center, and was taken over by the US Military in April 2003. The detention center sat empty until auction where The Kufan Group purchased the land and over $100 million dollars worth of buildings in 2010 and proceeded with the approximately $245 million first phase of development. The hotel opening to coincided with the oil and gas conferences in Basra that were held in November 2011.
The Where: Basra Logistic City is located 1.8 km from Umm Qasr, a main port in Iraq and is about 40 km from downtown Basra. The Basra Gateway hotel is located within this development that sits on 740 acres of land that has 7 of Iraq’s giant oil fields within 150 km. The location is key to building this area into a fully functioning commercial oasis. Centered in between the port and the city that sits on wealth it makes for a very convenient place to stay.
The Who: The Kufan Group, a 100% Iraqi owned business that is leading in engineering, construction and oil fields. The Kufan Group headquarters are in Baghdad with regional offices in the surrounding areas. The Kufan Group acquired the Former Camp Bucca through an auction. The Kufan Group had been connected with the base while it was still functioning as a prison, using innovative manufacturing techniques to produce more product as well as train detainees with valuable skills for a positive impact on Iraq’s future. With an eye on the future, the Kufan Group has used the Basra Gateway Hotel to house executives that are looking for new investment opportunities. Hoping to make The Basra Logistic City a commercial oasis even the set of Swedish executives that refused to stay at the hotel will not put off the excitement for this project. Exxon representatives have appeared to be extremely excited about the business venture in this area and have visited the site multiple times.
Not a usual vacation spot yet, the guests who desire to stay at this hotel must rent a block of rooms in advance in order to stay. The world looks forward to seeing what more the Basra Hotel will offer in the years to come. Perhaps in the years to come once the plumbing gets fixed and the economy rebuilds, this area may become available for overnight stays.
By Tamara Barney
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