By NATARIO McKENZIE
Tribune Business Reporter
nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net
THE Bimini Bay Resort’s developers yesterday said they hope to attract at least 1,000 visitors daily into Bimini, with ferry service expected to come on stream in October.
Leslie Bethel, chief operating officer for RAV Bahamas, developers of the multi-million dollar Bimini Bay Resort & Marina and Rockwell Island, told Tribune Business that dredging and infrastructural works were about 90 per cent complete.
Mr Bethel said close to $2 million had been invested to-date in dredging and infrastructural works to facilitate the Bale�ria Bahamas Express ferry service.
“We are in the final stages of completing some dredging and infrastructural works in Alice Town and the harbour entrance to accommodate a new, high speed ferry from South Florida, which we hope will come on stream by the beginning of October,” said Mr Bethel.
He added: “We have invested close to $2 million to-date in the project. I want to say it’s 90 per cent complete, so some more money will be invested there. The project will cost about $2.4 million.”
Mr Bethel told Tribune Business that it was expected that the ferry service would bring at least 1,000 persons into Bimini daily.
“We’re looking to attract upward of at least 500-800 passengers on the ferry service. Obviously it won’t operate every day from the start, but again through stabilisation we hope to attract at least 1,000 visitors a day to Bimini,” he added.
“Today, Bimini attracts around 50,000 visitors, so if you do the math it’s a substantial increase in visitors to the island.”
Speaking to the performance of Bimini Bay, Mr Bethel told Tribune Business: “We have had a pretty busy summer. We had a slow start to our traditional summer season but things seem to be back on track. We have a lot of things that are happening and we are looking foward to increasing and growing our business at the resort as a result of these new additions.”
Comments
BiminiHomeowner 11 years, 9 months ago
Where is the trash going to go from all these people?
Bimini has some of the most impressive tourism numbers for any Out-Island, but there is not the demand, nor the resources here, for an additional 1000 people per day.
Why does the Tribune seem so quick to publish anything that the Bimini Bay developers claim all of a sudden?? No one over here believes a word they say, why do you?
How about a story on the finalization of Bimini's Marine Protected Area? Only one developer wants "transform" Bimini, all the other resorts/hotels here want to improve upon what makes this place so great. facebook.com/Bimini.Marine.Protected....
jpc1990 11 years, 9 months ago
I was a student that went down to the island a few years ago, and to this day I plan on returning to the island. If the proposed plan does go through, then this island will be ruined by garbage and further commercialization. The resort to date has already damaged some of the rare and pristine area that is in the process of being protected, so that in turn it may protect many species that use it to live and grow. Bringing in excess people and creating further area along the coast for a ferry terminal and dredging will destroy the areas that need protecting. I think that this plan should be halted, and no further action be taken to turn the island into something it's not, as one of the many reasons the island is so attractive is it's laid back appeal. The company creating the resort has no regard for the habitat, or the outlook of the island and the people who live there, and quite frankly this ferry will turn people off from visiting the island and at the same time ruin important habitat for the unique species that use it. This should be stopped, and I hope more people make aware to this situation!
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