The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is seeking expressions of interest for a partner to design, build, finance and operate a landmark hotel and residential development on Lansdowne Road, directly adjacent to the Aviva Stadium.
The opportunity is offered under a long term ground lease, with the IRFU retaining the freehold interest in the site. The proposed scheme, known as Lansdowne Quarter, is envisaged as a 257-key hotel and 77-unit residential apartment development, with extensive food and beverage and conferencing facilities.
The site is being brought to the market without planning permission, providing the incoming development partner with the flexibility to shape the final design, configuration and overall positioning of the scheme. From a hotel perspective, the location is supported by a robust and diverse demand profile.
The Aviva Stadium is a significant driver in this regard, hosting international rugby and football fixtures, as well as concerts and large-scale events throughout the year. Since opening in 2010, the stadium has welcomed over 10 million visitors and hosted more than 330 events.
Together with nearby venues such as the RDS and Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, the location attracts both domestic and international visitors year round. As well as this, the proximity of the site to key employment centres such as Ballsbridge, Grand Canal Dock and Dublin Docklands underpin strong corporate demand.
From a residential standpoint, the site is ideally positioned within Dublin’s most sought-after address, commanding the highest residential real estate prices in the city. The location benefits from exceptional connectivity, as the site lies adjacent to Lansdowne Road DART Station, providing convenient access to Dublin city centre and surrounding suburbs.
Major employment hubs such as Meta’s European headquarters and the close proximity of key international corporates in the Docklands area further enhance the location’s appeal. A strong amenity offering, including a range of restaurants, cafés, Herbert Park and Sandymount Strand, further contributes to its attractiveness as a high-quality residential setting.
CBRE has been appointed by the IRFU to seek proposals from developers and operators for this prestigious development.
Paul Collins, Head of Hotels at CBRE Ireland, commented “We expect strong interest from both Irish and international parties. This is a superb opportunity to deliver a flagship scheme in one of Dublin’s most sought-after locations. The combination of a stadium-adjacent site, exceptional connectivity and strong underlying demand fundamentals in both the hotel and residential sectors makes
Lansdowne Quarter a compelling proposition for developers and operators alike”.
Darragh Deasy, Director of CBRE’s Development Land team, commented “Lansdowne Quarter offers a unique opportunity to deliver a high-quality mixed-use development on a landmark site in Dublin 4. The scale of the development, combined with the flexibility around planning and design, allows a partner to create a scheme that fully responds to both market demand and the character of the surrounding area. With strong fundamentals across both the living and hospitality sectors, we expect this to attract significant
interest from experienced developers”.
Kevin Potts, CEO of the IRFU, added "This process allows the IRFU to unlock the long-term potential of a strategically important site, while also retaining ownership of the land. Importantly, the development will be wholly funded by the successful development partner. The resulting lease income will provide a long term and significant new revenue stream for Irish Rugby that will be invested into all levels of the game across Ireland."
“We also recognise the wider value a scheme of this nature can deliver for the city more broadly. Additional hotel capacity and new homes are important elements of Dublin's future growth, and a highquality development we hope will contribute positively to both."