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New heights for Sydney Harbour Bridge attraction
A local family business has won a tender to operate the landmark Sydney Harbour Bridge climb tourist attraction.
Melissa Coade
Firm: Norton Rose Fulbright (Hammon Family); Gilbert + Tobin (Roads Maritime Services).
Value: Undisclosed
Area: Project, corporate, banking, IT/IP and employment
Key players: The NRF team advising the Hammon Family was led by partners Stephen Iu and Rob White. Partners Bernard O'Shea, Frances Drummond, Alex Whiteside and Katherine Morris assisted.
The Hammon Family was advised on the concession agreement which governs the obligations of running the tourism activities, as well as related advice.
Deal significance: Operation of Sydney Harbour Bridge tourism activities will transfer to the Hammon Family from 1 October 2018. The NSW family business owns Scenic World in the Blue Mountains. The family is also a cornerstone investor in the new Sydney Zoo located in Western Sydney, which is scheduled to open in early 2019.
Rob White, one of the NRF partners leading the Hammon Family’s legal team, said that he was delighted to be able to assist his client in “pulling together such a strong proposal and helping them to close out this transaction with RMS”.
“Sydneysiders are understandably proud of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and should be excited by the Hammon Family’s vision for this world-renowned tourist attraction,” he added.
Calls for expressions of interest in operating the Sydney Harbour Bridge tourism activities were made by the RMS June last year.
According to NRF, the Hammon Family has a new vision for the future of tourism activities on Sydney Harbour Bridge, including extra, improved experiences. The tourism activities currently include climbs on the arches of the Sydney harbour Bridge, a bridge experience centre and a pylon lookout.
Co-lead partner Stephen Iu, commented on that NRF had a strong reputation for advising deals of this kind.
“We have an excellent track record working with government agencies, and this really helped to guide our client through the RFP process and negotiations with RMS,” Mr Iu said.
David Hammon praised his lawyers for their work on the deal, remarking:
“We were impressed with their professionalism, commercial approach and experience.”
