In fact, the 7,400 square feet of "ultimate meeting room'' which can seat any up to 700 people in theatre style, has already begun to attract major interest from overseas.

Hotel officials described the plush new Mid Ocean Amphitheatre, which replaces the old Empire Room, as offering meeting planners the largest multimedia amphitheatre in the resort markets of North America, Hawaii and the Caribbean.

The $1.25 million project was officially opened by Premier, the Hon. Sir John Swan, on Wednesday evening at a gala ceremony attended by Government, business and hotel industry leaders.

Regional vice president of Princess Hotels International, Mr. Stephen Barker, said: "We already have bookings that have been influenced by the anticipated availability of this room. The demand is expected to escalate.

"There has been tremendous reaction to the mailings of the colour brochure, which is being distributed to all major group organisers and many large companies. A lot of companies have expressed interest.

"We expect to attract new, upscale business that was unlikely to come to Bermuda before. We are already looking at new, large groups that we would have never approached before.

"Many hotels remain dated and unable to accommodate the demands of some group travellers. We don't think that other hotels will be able to adjust as readily to a change in demand.'' A major Fortune 500 company is already scheduled to be the first occupants of the room just after the Easter holiday, when they have 350-people staying at the hotel for a convention.

Staff at the 600-room hotel will spend the next two weeks testing, modifying and balancing the new equipment, which includes dual screen capabilities, computerised remote control systems, computerised lighting, ergonomic designed seating and a computerised podium that can control the projection, lighting and audio systems.

The state of the art audio-visual system was designed, installed and implemented by Multivision Electrosonic Ltd.

Onions, Bouchard & McCulloch handled the architecture and interior design. The new facility brings the amount of flexible space the hotel has available for meetings to 30,000 square feet.

Mr. George Ramirez, Vice President of Sales, for Princess Hotels International Inc. said, "Bermuda is already a very popular choice for meetings of professionals. It's beautiful and immaculate, easy to get to and tax deductible. The addition of this unique, state of the art room brings a new dimension to resort facilities.

The hotel has again been listed by Conde Naste Traveler as one of the top twenty resorts in the world.

After closing the Touch disco for most of last year, amid widespread rumours that the one-time popular nightspot was losing money, the hotel announced this week that the space has been converted into an activities area, called the Somerset Room. Mr. Barker would only say that the "marginal operation did not adequately serve the needs of the hotel guests.'' The Neptune Club replaces the Neptune Lounge with renovations and the addition of show-stopper, Jimmy Keyes, formerly of Henry VIII Pub. It converts into a disco from midnight to 3a.m.

There is also a lounge and piano bar in the main lobby, called simply the Lobby Lounge, adjacent to the Neptune Lounge, offerring continental breakfast, English silver tea service at tea-time and a lounge and bar service into the evening.

ULTIMATE MEETING ROOM -- This drawing is included in a colour brochure being sent to hundreds of companies touting the advantages of the Southampton Princess' 700-seat multi-media amphitheatre. The $1.5 million room was opened on Wednesday night.