On the site of the former Hellinikon International Airport, directly on the Athens Riviera, Greece's largest individual high-rise development is currently taking shape: the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens, the central element of the Integrated Resort Complex Ellinikou (IRC). The tower will reach a height of approximately 200 metres, making it not only one of the tallest buildings in Greece but also the first fully integrated resort and casino on the European mainland. Liebherr tower cranes are handling all lifting operations throughout the structural phase of the tower's construction such as steelwork and concrete operations carried out under time constrained site conditions.
Liebherr cranes in the tower's structural construction
Liebherr tower cranes are deployed by TERNA S.A. for all lifting operations in the structural construction of the IRC tower. The cranes' tasks encompass the handling of heavy structural steel components as well as supporting concrete operations across all floor levels of the tower structure. For a project of this vertical scale, every lifting operation places high demands on the lifting capacity, precision and operational continuity of the cranes. In total, four cranes are in operation on the tower: a 202 EC-B 10 Litronic, a 250 EC-B 12 Litronic, a 258 HC-L Fibre and a 230 HC-L. Additional crane models from the EC-B and EC-H series are deployed in support of the tower construction.
The decision in favour of Liebherr is based on several factors. Decisive were the exceptional lifting capacities of the crane models deployed and the quality of service support provided by Stagakis LTD, the official Liebherr sales partner in Greece. As the company responsible for supplying the cranes and handling local service support, Stagakis LTD plays an integral role in the successful execution of the project. On a construction site operating under this degree of time pressure and structural complexity, reliable technical support on the ground is an integral component of the overall construction program.
Why Liebherr: lifting capacity, service quality and confidence in the system
For a high-rise project of the calibre of the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens, the technical demands placed on the crane fleet are extraordinary. The structural construction of a tower approximately 200 metres tall requires cranes that deliver stable, high lifting capacities across the entire duration of the structural phase, from the base slab to the uppermost floors under continuously changing configurations. Structural steel components, prefabricated elements and heavy formwork systems must be positioned precisely at constantly changing installation levels, without any unplanned downtime that could jeopardise the tight overall construction schedule. The combination of EC-B flat-top cranes and HC-L luffing jib cranes is ideally suited to this challenge.
The EC-B cranes, thanks to their flat-top design and jib radii of up to 80 metres, handle the broad-area material supply on the lower and intermediate floor levels. The HC-L luffing jib cranes, by contrast, address the specific challenge of high-rise construction at great height: the further the tower rises, the more restricted the available slewing space around the structure becomes, and the greater the need for a luffing jib crane capable of angling its jib to position loads close to the tower and within the building's footprint.
Liebherr Tower Crane Solutions (TCS) was also involved in refining the technical configuration, calculating the crane setup and working closely with the TERNA S.A. site team to develop solutions tailored to the project's specific requirements. "The collaboration with the Liebherr Tower Crane Solution was excellent and we are highly satisfied with the crane solutions delivered," said a spokesperson for TERNA S.A.
The overall construction schedule requires one of Europe's largest hotel towers to be erected within approximately three years of construction. At the same time, the project's stringent quality requirements and the complexity of the works sequence demand precise coordination of all lifting operations across every floor level.
Further compounding these demands is the maritime location of the site, directly on the Athens Riviera. The coastal climate of the Saronic Gulf generates considerable wind forces on the construction site, forces that must be carefully accounted for as the crane tower heights increase in line with the advancing structural progress of the 200-metre tower.
A landmark project on the Athens Riviera
The Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens is a joint development between Hard Rock International and the Greek GEK TERNA Group, with GEK TERNA bearing full responsibility for construction, execution and site management. The total investment of approximately 1.85 billion euros places this project amongst the largest privately funded construction undertakings currently under way in the European Union.
Construction began in March 2025, with completion scheduled for December 2028. In addition to the 42 storey hotel tower with around 1,100 guest rooms, the IRC programme includes a casino with 180 gaming tables and 1,500 slot machines, a conference centre, a concert and entertainment venue, several restaurants and cafés, a Rock Spa with pool facilities and retail space. The tower has a gross floor area of 123,500 m² on a plot of 47,900 m². The building was designed by architectural firm Gensler, with EOC responsible for the facade design. The project developers expect up to 15,000 visitors daily and around 3,000 permanent employees following completion.
According to the project developers, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Athens is part of The Ellinikon, an urban transformation scheme intended to convert a site on the outskirts of the Greek capital, vacant for over two decades, into a leisure, hotel and business destination. GEK TERNA and Hard Rock International describe the complex as the first fully integrated resort and casino on the European mainland and anticipate positive effects for Greek tourism and for the Athens coastal area as a result. The project developers also cite the expected tax revenue from the casino operation over the 30 year concession period as a contribution to the Greek treasury.
