It will have 120 rooms with 500 beds, creating some 140 new jobs. The special features of the planned 4-star plus hotel: It will only accommodate families with children and will off er all-round care for children of various ages and infants, plus a broad palette of entertainment activities and wellness facilities, including babies’ and children’s clubs, water slides, theater, cinema, soccer, a go-kart track and a petting zoo. The Mayer Group already operates three such hotels in Austria and Germany, with great success. “Our goal is to off er a completely new and unrivaled approach to hospitality and address a new target group, namely families with the most exacting tastes in leisure activities and quality, guests with high purchasing power and reputation,” Ernst Mayer, the managing director explained. Mayer emphasized Oberhof’s central location, making it readily accessible to guests from various regions of Germany. “Oberhof is a uniquely fabulous sporting center with lots of attractions, and is well-known throughout Germany.” In addition, the executive praised the excellent cooperation with the Thuringian Ministry for Economic Aff airs, LEG, and the city government. In January a new team began work at LEG, whose mission is to encourage development of the hospitality industry in the state and that accompanies the establishment of the Mayer hotel. The team is currently evaluating locations for further projects in the travel industry while providing comprehensive services to potential investors. (hw)