Wagga pub mogul Sean O'Hara has plans for a $10 million mega hotel at Estella

A concept development plan for a $10 million mega-hotel at Estella was lodged with Wagga City Council this week, while a buyer with eyes on a tavern development has also snapped up land in Boorooma.

A consortium led by Wagga pub mogul Sean O'Hara and a Sydney-based partner lodged the proposal, which outlines the proposed two-storey hotel would sit on an empty two-acre block on Avocet Drive, adjacent to the Estella shopping centre.

After decades, it would finally giving thirsty residents a place for a quiet drink.

According to documents lodged with council, the 5000sqm complex spread over three levels would include a drive-thru bottle shop, bistro, lounge, sports bar, gaming area, bar, kitchen, terraces, kids playground area, function room cocktail bar and a 190-lot car park.

Mr O'Hara has created a multimillion-dollar pub empire across NSW in recent years, including Sporties, the Palm and Pawn and most recently Lake Albert's Thomas Blamey Tavern, which he purchased for more than $20 million in 2022. It was a record price for a regional hotel in NSW at the time.

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But the big pub race in Wagga's north could be close, with developers eyeing up the new Boorooma shopping complex as a potential site for a rival hotel.

Fitzpatricks Real Estate's Geoff Seymour confirmed land at the end of Phar Lap Place is now in the hands of a large developer.

"We can now confirm that Lot 1 on the southern end of Phar Lap Place has also been sold to a national developer who has previously worked in conjunction with Coles and will probably be looking to construct a tavern on the bottom end of that site," he said.

Co-owner of Hotondo Homes Wagga, Craig Keogh, lives and has built many homes in the area and said the hotels could be "huge" for the development of the northern suburbs.

"A lot of people won't come out here, because there aren't any services out here," he said.

"And people are more definitely more likely to build close to areas that have those services."

Domino's Boorooma franchisee Dan Evans said a pub in the area could provide residents with a good meeting place and foster a sense of community.

"It provides a good meeting place, a good place to catch up with your friends and enjoy a weekend night," he said.

"So I think it can work. There's obviously a heap of regulations they need to comply with, but I think it could be part of a good mix, really developing a good community centre and a good hub for the local community."

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