Haile Hotels & Resorts, founded by Olympic record holder Haile Gebreselassie, has announced that it is reopening its Batu (Ziway) location this week. The location has been closed ever since it sustained heavy damage during the wide-scale destruction, looting and violence that occurred after the death of singer Hachalu Hundessa in late June of this year. The resort, which was first established in 2014 with an investment of 225 million Br, was subject to looting and arson during the unrest. The hospitality firm promised to have the location up and running quickly during a statement made at the opening ceremony of its seventh, and latest, location in Adama in early September. The location will resume operations following a reopening ceremony on December 1, 2020, less than half a year after its closure. While 80pc of the Batu location was destroyed in the unrest, the resort in Shashemene suffered almost complete destruction with only its gates left standing after an arson attack during the same period. Haile Hotel Shashemene was first opened in 2013 with an estimated investment of 130 million Br and was operating with a total of 130 employees before it was razed to the ground.