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| Robert Sands, VP of Administration & External Affairs, Baha Mar Resorts Ltd. |
Baha Mar, the sprawling 1,000-acre development proposed for Nassau’s Cable Beach could revitalize the area of aging high-rise hotels, employ thousands of people, and generate staggering amounts of tax revenue.
There’s one hitch.
Developers of one of the Caribbean’s biggest proposed resorts lack the approvals and concessions they need for the project from the new government of Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham.
The project had been moving forward under the previous government of Prime Minister Perry Christie and his Progressive Liberal Party administration. It welcomed the 3,000-room resort, which would bring together five upscale hotels – a Caesar’s, St. Regis, Westin, Sheraton, and Radisson. Other attractions include a 100,000-square-foot casino in Caesar’s and an 18-hole signature Jack Nicklaus golf course.
Christie’s government, however, was ousted in a general election on May 2. Moreover, Baha Mar’s developers and government negotiators failed to meet a critical deadline under their negotiating framework for the project. In a country with an ongoing building boom and almost no crime, the stalled talks generated headlines, portraying the Christie administration in a negative light.
To date, the Ingraham administration has yet to resume talks over the approvals and “concessions” that Baha Mar’s developers say are needed to make the project feasible. Moreover, questions are being raised about whether the new government will be looking kindly on additional “mega” projects.
During a post-election rally, Ingraham caused a stir when he reportedly called for an end to the “mega” anchor projects promoted by the previous administration. The comments are subject to interpretation, and the administration has yet to publicly explain them.
“We do not believe that there will be cause for any meaningful delays to this project, which could still be on line to establish the dates that we have established for ourselves,” said a spokesman for Baha Mar Resorts Ltd., Robert “Sandy” Sands. He noted that the Ingraham administration had been absorbed in a post-election budget process and other matters and had been too busy to deal with developers. He added that “we are satisfied that the prime minister of the government of The Bahamas supports the Baha Mar project. At the end of the day, we believe that Baha Mar will rise from the ground.”
Regarding Ingraham’s comments on “mega” projects, Sands said he thought the prime minister was referring to future development on the sleepy outlying islands or “Family Islands,” as they’re called.
“The comment has garnered tremendous column inches and propaganda, as well as opinions of interpretation, etc.,” noted Sands, who indicated that talks were on hold at least through June.
The proposed Baha Mar project was unveiled last January when Nassau-based Baha Mar Resorts Ltd. signed a joint venture agreement with a subsidiary of Harrah’s Entertainment, Inc. A management agreement was signed as well with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., which would manage the hotels.
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Photo by Terrance Strachan
From left are Robert “Sandy” Sands, VP, Baha Mar and Cable Beach Resorts; Kevin Regan, Sr. VP Operations, Southeast Region Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide; Sarkis Izmirlian, chairman, Baha Mar; Hans Altenhoff, G.M. Sheraton Cable Beach Resort; Don Robinson, President, Baha Mar and Minister of Tourism, Neko Grant. |
Other resort attractions would include 200,000- square-feet of meeting space, 3,000-feet of continuous beachfront, and a retail village with upscale shopping.
According to one press release, Baha Mar will generate, either directly or indirectly, 7,000 jobs and over $4.7 billion in incremental tax revenues. It is also expected to contribute $11.2 billion to The Bahamas’ Gross Domestic Product over the next 20 years.
The same source states, “Baha Mar will captivate guests from the moment they arrive on site as they proceed along an expansive water boulevard and 50-foot-high circular waterfall before entering the resort’s grand porte-cochere.
Sands said the resort amounts to more than a collection of hotels. “It’s the totality of the project that makes sense.”
Meanwhile, Baha Mar Resorts Ltd. and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. on June 12 celebrated the opening of the Sheraton Cable Beach Resort in Nassau. Situated on a 1,000-foot-stretch of white-sand beach, the resort is owned by Baha Mar Resorts and managed by Starwood. It has 694 rooms and suites and represents another step toward revitalizing tourism in Nassau and, in particular, Cable Beach. |
