Radisson Hotel Group signs Radisson RED Hotel Queenstown, New Zealand

Business

Radisson Hotel Group signs Radisson RED Hotel Queenstown, New Zealand

2026-02-05 07:35 Last Updated At：07:55

BRUSSELS, Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Radisson Hotel Group has signed the Radisson RED Hotel Queenstown, a new-built lifestyle hotel set to open in early 2028. The move amplifies the brand's footprint in New Zealand and follows the momentum of the upcoming Radisson RED Auckland opening.

Radisson RED Hotel Queenstown will feature 221 rooms, including four deluxe rooms and five suites. A lively all-day dining restaurant and bar will anchor the social scene. An additional rooftop bar with a large terrace will take in golden-hour mountain views. Two flexible meeting rooms will support intimate events and creative sessions, and a modern gym will round out the essentials.

The hotel is situated a seven-minute walk from the centre of Queenstown, within an emerging precinct that is adding new retail, a supermarket, and dining concepts tailored for a modern tourism market. Guests will look out toward Coronet Peak, the surrounding ranges, and Lake Wakatipu, with the location set to benefit from plans to evolve the adjoining recreation reserve into a community park that serves residents and visitors. Coronet Peak's ski lift is a fifteen-minute drive from the site, keeping winter access easy and summer trailheads close.

Queenstown is New Zealand's four-season adventure capital, with skiing at Coronet Peak and The Remarkables, lakefront trails and biking, and easy access to the Gibbston Valley wineries, all wrapped in a lively dining and arts scene. Queenstown Airport lies 16 minutes from the site with direct services from Australia's major east-coast gateways and frequent domestic links.

The developer of the project is Redwood Group, which has developed numerous successful projects across the Queenstown region. Tony Gapes, owner of Redwood, said, "We're delighted to be partnering with Radisson Hotel Group to bring Radisson RED to Queenstown. The brand's energy, design-led style, and understated luxury feel perfectly matched to the spirit of the region. This is an exciting project for Queenstown, and we're proud to continue to deliver developments that add long-term value to the region."

"Australasia is primed for high‑performing lifestyle hotels, and Queenstown is an ideal stage for Radisson RED," said Lachlan Hoswell, Managing Director, Australasia, Radisson Hotel Group. "Owners choose RED for its guest appeal and for the strength of our commercial engine. Nearly one in two bookings are generated by our system, and with The Club by Radisson Hotel Group, Pulse by RHG, and our EMMA technology platform, we convert revenue efficiently and control costs to drive stronger GOP. We're excited to work with local partners such as Tony Gapes at Redwood and Ash Hira at Bayleys, who was instrumental in facilitating this transaction, and look forward to collaborating with Bayleys and other partners on elevating the hotel offerings across New Zealand and Australia."

Nearly one booking out of two is generated by Radisson Hotel Group's commercial engine. The Club by RHG is a global revenue community that supports 340+ hotels, bringing market expertise and practical models that uncover new business. Pulse by RHG gives teams live, cross-source performance insight to steer pricing and mix. On the cost side, EMMA, the Group's centralized cloud platform, integrates key hotel systems, while Radisson Operations powered by Hotelkit, EMMA Material Management, and partners such as Kitchen Cut help reduce waste, standardize workflows, and protect margins.

Radisson Rewards now counts more than 25 million members across EMEA and APAC, Members access benefits from day one, can blend cash and points flexibly, and planners and bookers earn on professional and personal travel. The program's ease of use helps shift share into the Group's direct channels and into partner hotels across the region.

Radisson RED Hotel Queenstown follows the Group's upcoming opening in Auckland, extending the Radisson RED brand across two of New Zealand's most compelling leisure and urban destinations. Across Asia Pacific, Radisson Hotel Group is advancing a balanced growth strategy, scaling premium, lifestyle, and midscale brands in gateway cities, resort markets, and high-potential secondary hubs. Momentum is already building with the recent opening of Park Inn by Radisson Melbourne Carlton and the opening of Radisson Blu Mirage Resort Fiji, scheduled for 2027. A strong pipeline of additional signings and openings planned from 2026 to 2028 will further strengthen the Group's footprint across the region.

ABOUT RADISSON HOTEL GROUP

Radisson Hotel Group is a rapidly expanding international hotel group, operating in EMEA and APAC with more than 1,600 hotels in operation and under development in +100 countries. The Group's overarching brand promise is Every Moment Matters with a signature Yes I Can! service ethos.

The Radisson brand portfolio includes Radisson Collection, art'otel, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson RED, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, and Prize by Radisson — brought together under one commercial umbrella brand, Radisson Hotels.

Radisson Rewards is Radisson Hotel Group's loyalty program, which delivers an elevated experience that makes Every Moment Matter, counting more than 25 million members. As the most streamlined program in the sector, members enjoy exceptional advantages and can access their benefits from day one across a wide range of hotels in Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia Pacific.

Radisson Meetings provides tailored solutions for any event or meeting, including hybrid solutions placing guests and their needs at the heart of its offer. Radisson Meetings is built around three strong service commitments: Personal, Professional, and Memorable, while delivering on the brilliant basics and being uniquely Carbon Compensated.

At Radisson Hotel Group, we care for people, communities, and planet and aim to be Net Zero by 2050 based on the approved Science Based Targets. With unique solutions such as carbon-compensated Radisson Meetings, we make sustainable hotel stays easy. To facilitate sustainable travel choices, all our hotels are becoming verified on Hotel Sustainability Basics.

The health and safety of guests and team members remain a top priority for Radisson Hotel Group. All properties across the Group's portfolio are subject to health and safety requirements, ensuring we always care for our guests and team members.

For more information, visit our corporate website. Or connect with Radisson Hotels on:

ABOUT RADISSON RED

Radisson RED is an upper upscale hotel brand that presents a playful twist on the conventional. The brand injects new life into hospitality through informal services where anything goes, a vibrant social scene that's waiting to be shared and stylish public spaces with standout design to inspire our guests. Radisson RED hotels are designed to meet the needs of our guests by giving them endless opportunities to tune in and out, switching effortlessly between business and pleasure. Guests and professional business partners can enhance their experience with Radisson RED by participating in Radisson Rewards, an international loyalty program offering exceptional benefits and rewards.

Radisson RED is part of the Radisson family of brands, which includes Radisson Collection, art'otel, Radisson Blu, Radisson, Radisson Individuals, Park Plaza, Park Inn by Radisson, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, and Prize by Radisson — brought together under one commercial umbrella brand, Radisson Hotels.

For reservations and more information, visit our website. Or connect with Radisson RED on:

ABOUT RADISSON HOTEL GROUP

For more information, visit our corporate website. Or connect with Radisson Hotels on:

ABOUT RADISSON RED

For reservations and more information, visit our website. Or connect with Radisson RED on:

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Beong-Soo Kim Unanimously Elected 13th President of USC

Visionary Leader Beong-Soo Kim to Advance USC's National and Global Excellence

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Trustees for the University of Southern California (USC) announced today, Feb. 4, 2026, the unanimous appointment of Beong-Soo Kim as the university's 13th president following a highly competitive and comprehensive search process. Kim will immediately assume his new position.

"The Board's unanimous vote reflects what we learned throughout the search process: widespread confidence in Beong's leadership. As a next generation president, we believe that he can dramatically accelerate USC's institutional advancement as a distinctive leader in higher education during a time of unprecedented change," said Suzanne Nora Johnson, Chair of the USC Board of Trustees. "During his service as Interim President, we recognized his demonstration of our core values, which included his impeccable character, his engagement and respect for all members of our university community, his courage in making and owning difficult and complex decisions, and his commitment to excellence in all that we do."

Serving as Interim President since July 1, 2025, Kim has positioned the university to deepen its academic impact across the nation and the globe, fostered interdisciplinary research, and unlocked transformative philanthropic support. By collaborating closely with the Board of Trustees, senior leadership, academic deans, faculty, staff, students, and alumni worldwide, he has also established a strong foundation of trust across the Trojan Family.

"I am deeply honored by the confidence the Trojan Family and Board of Trustees have placed in me," said Kim. "USC is a very special place, and we are uniquely positioned to advance our mission and impact during this period of change across higher education. Our unwavering commitment to academic excellence, groundbreaking research, and global impact positions us to shape the future – not just respond to it. Together with our accomplished faculty and dedicated staff, we will prepare the next generation not just for the jobs of tomorrow, but to provide the leadership and solutions our world needs."

Click here to watch Kim's first presidential message.

As president, Kim will continue to advance USC's core mission: prioritizing academic excellence, cultivating future leaders, addressing complex societal challenges through collaboration and open dialogue, and advancing interdisciplinary scientific research. His Presidential Open Dialogue Project and the AI Strategy Committee, launched during his time as Interim President, created university-wide forums that address the critical challenges of the 21st century.

Kim recently co-hosted USC's first-ever AI Summit which brought together students, faculty, and industry leaders to explore AI's impact on education, business, and society, addressing both opportunities and ethical challenges. The event positioned USC as a leader in shaping conversations about responsible AI development and reflected Kim's commitment to bridging academic research with real-world entrepreneurship.

To further leverage the expertise on USC's campuses and more directly involve faculty in key university decisions, Kim brought deans into the President's Cabinet to advance his top strategic priorities, and established a Faculty Advisory Committee reporting directly to him and representing faculty from many of the schools.

"Beong has already demonstrated a deep commitment to advance USC's academic mission working alongside our outstanding faculty. His lofty ambitions and sustained dedication will guide the university to even greater scholarly accomplishments," said Dana Goldman, Founding Director of the USC Schaeffer Institute for Public Policy & Government Service.

As part of his commitment to extending USC's thought leadership, Kim started a podcast, "Trojan Talks," which he has used to communicate USC's priorities, research, and leadership to wider audiences. Guests have included Dean Willow Bay, Jonathan Haidt, Dr. Indy Gill, Professor Eileen Crimmins, and others.

"Since becoming Interim President, Beong has been instrumental in cultivating support for our research and elevating awareness for our groundbreaking advances to cure blindness," said Mark Humayun, MD, PhD, Director of the USC Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Institute for Biomedical Therapeutics and Co-Director of USC Roski Eye Institute. "I strongly believe that universities today must demonstrate real-world impact and I look forward to helping Beong so that USC's biomedical discoveries reach the global stage and the communities that need them most."

Over the past seven months, Kim has met with more than 40,000 members of the Trojan Family on USC's campuses in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., as well as at events around the world, engaging students, faculty, staff, researchers, and alumni.

"Beong stepped into the interim role with transparency, authenticity, and a strong commitment to all constituents: staff, students, and faculty," said Erika Chesley, Senior Associate Director, USC Hospitality. "He listened openly, welcomed diverse perspectives, and adapted thoughtfully as circumstances evolved. His non-traditional background proved to be a strength, offering a fresh and steady approach at a time when change required both honesty and compassion. I look forward to continuing our conversations around staff experience as he builds on the strong foundation established during the interim period."

In India, he recognized and celebrated the powerful legacy of the late USC Trustee Ratan Tata and underscored USC's long-standing relationships with international students. And at the USC Norris Cancer Hospital, he met with patients, physicians, nurses, faculty, and Keck Medicine leadership. Throughout his interactions, his approach has been consistent: visionary leadership grounded in compassion, intellectual curiosity, and active listening.

"Beong's commitment to USC is extraordinary," said Carmen Nava, USC Trustee and Co-Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. "He possesses exceptional diplomatic skills and has made decisive decisions that have maintained the university's academic mission and preserved the institution's long-term financial health. Throughout difficult moments, Beong has led with transparency, open communication, and genuine care for our Trojan Family. His approach to the challenges facing higher education – marked by open mindedness and personal integrity – is exactly what USC needs at this critical juncture."

"Beong demonstrated exceptional leadership during one of the most challenging periods not only in higher education, but in the nation," said Mark Stevens, USC Trustee and Co-Chair of the Presidential Search Committee. "He navigated complex challenges while positioning USC for growth, all without losing sight of our central mission. His work connecting USC's strengths and deepening community ties is already reshaping what's possible for our students and the broader Trojan family."

Kim's career spans higher education, health care, legal practice, and public service. He previously served as USC's Senior Vice President and General Counsel, and as a lecturer at the USC Gould School of Law. Kim helped guide USC through the Covid-19 pandemic, built stronger compliance systems and trust across the university, advocated for both academic freedom and non-discrimination, and strengthened governance across the health system and health sciences schools.

Prior to joining USC, he held senior roles at Kaiser Permanente, served as a partner in an international law firm, and served as a federal prosecutor in the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California. Kim earned his bachelor's degree and Juris Doctor from Harvard University and a master's degree from the London School of Economics.

A Los Angeles native, Kim's personal connection to USC runs deep. He is the son of Korean immigrant parents who both pursued graduate studies at USC. His mother earned her master's degree in education in 1970, and his father completed PhD coursework in economics. As a student at Calabasas High School, Kim studied the cello and chamber music under the tutelage of two legendary professors at the USC Thornton School of Music, Eleonore and Alice Schoenfeld. During the pandemic, Kim performed "porch concerts" with his wife Bonnie Wongtrakool to bring calm to his neighborhood and has gone on to perform with students, and for faculty, staff, students, and patients at USC's University Park and Health Sciences Campuses.

"Playing cello for most of my life has taught me that excellence demands listening, timing, and harmony. USC works the same way: exceptional people working together toward a shared mission none of us could accomplish alone. My job as president is orchestrating that collective effort," said Kim.

Kim's selection reflects a comprehensive and thoughtful search process that valued the robust feedback provided by the Trojan Family.

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to extend our deepest gratitude to our Presidential Search Committee chairs for their outstanding stewardship during this process," said Suzanne Nora Johnson. "Their commitment to hosting a thorough and inclusive search that engaged the entire Trojan Family resulted in an outstanding outcome for USC's future. Their work will have a lasting impact on the university for generations to come."

About USC

Founded in 1880, the University of Southern California is one of the world's leading academic research institutions with 23 schools, a multi-billion-dollar health enterprise, and a vast research and development engine. The university enrolls 46,000 highly accomplished undergraduate and graduate students and employs 4,600 faculty who are members of major national academies, and MacArthur, Academy Award, and Pulitzer Prize winners, among many others. USC has a nationally recognized athletic program and a passionate global network of 500,000 alumni - the Trojan Family. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, USC is a powerhouse of innovation and impact with a global reach.

Visionary Leader Beong-Soo Kim to Advance USC's National and Global Excellence