Businessman Maksym Krippa has officially become one of the co-owners of Kyiv’s Dnipro Hotel, his press service said on April 9. The asset had previously been linked to Krippa by journalists, including through the registration of the hotel’s acquiring company at his address. Krippa plans to combine the hotel with the future Graal development project. His press service did not specify the size of the stake he acquired. “His stake is not controlling, but it allows him to invest in the asset,” the statement said.
According to Krippa, participation in the project opens up opportunities for the further transformation of the asset and its integration with the Graal development. “I have a dream: to unite these two projects into a single whole,” he said.
The plan involves the creation of a multifunctional complex in central Kyiv that could include an international-level hotel, residences, and retail and office space. Among the concepts under consideration is the involvement of global hotel operators such as Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons.
At the same time, implementation of the project will depend directly on the security situation in Ukraine. Krippa said that during the war, international brands are not considering entering the Ukrainian market, but that conditions could change quickly after it ends.
The estimated investment in the project could exceed $250 million, depending on the final concept and technical solutions. The plans include the construction of underground parking and the integration of infrastructure with other properties around European Square.
The former state-owned Dnipro Hotel was privatized in 2020 by Smartland, which won an open auction held by the State Property Fund with a bid of UAH 1.1 billion, nearly 14 times higher than the starting price.
After the auction, businessman Oleksandr Kokhanovskyi identified himself as the buyer of the hotel. However, the winning company was registered in Brovary, at Krippa’s residence, journalists at Liga.net reported. In 2018, Krippa acquired the NAVI esports team from Kokhanovskyi.
As of April 9, the beneficiaries of Smartland LLC, which owns the hotel, remained Oleksii Ihunin, with a stake of more than 82%, and Maksym Tereshchuk.
Maksym Krippa has a substantial real estate portfolio in Ukraine, including the Parus business center in Kyiv, Hotel Ukraina, the International Exhibition Centre, and other commercial properties.
