Construction has begun on a 201-room, 5-star hotel and casino in Tbilisi at 12 Rustaveli Avenue, the former Ministry of Communications building. The owner, businessman Tamaz Gaiashvili, has started preparatory works and deployed a crane on site.
The project, permitted by the Tbilisi Architecture Department last year, is expected to cost up to $80 million. The hotel will occupy a 3,493 m² plot, owned by LLC “Marili 2020,” fully controlled by Gaiashvili, who is also a founding partner of Georgian Airways. The current building serves as the airline’s head office.
The new structure will expand toward Lesia Ukrainka Street, preserving the historical facade along Rustaveli Avenue while matching the style in the new extension. The building will have 11 floors (including 3 underground), covering 23,323 m², and a circular courtyard in the center.
Alongside the casino, the complex will feature commercial spaces and a 118 m² rooftop swimming pool. Originally planned for 194 rooms, the hotel’s capacity has been increased to 201 rooms.
