The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A Grand Bahama realtor is doing his part to ensure Freeport “is no longer the bridesmaid but the bride”, as he yesterday called for increased direct airlift to supplement marketing efforts that have reached as far afield as Russia and Brazil.

James Sarles, broker and head of Coldwell Banker James Sarles Realty, told Tribune Business he had partnered with a realtor based in New York’s Hamptons in anticipation of Jet Blue starting direct service between that city and Freeport - a development he described as “fantastic” if it comes to fruition.

Acknowledging that Freeport needed to see more real estate activity, Mr Sarles said “everything comes down” to direct airlift if the city - and, by extension, Grand Bahama - were to achieve critical mass and their true economic potential.

“We need airlift and all those things,” he told Tribune Business. “The stepchild is how we feel here sometimes.”

Noting that New York was potentially just a two-hour flight from Freeport, Mr Sarles said he had “heard rumours” that the Ministry of Tourism and others were in discussions with Jet Blue over the airline establishing a direct route to Grand Bahama.

“It would be fantastic for us,” he added. “We’ve got to have direct airlift. We have something significant here, and the prices are good. We want to have our shot, and if we get direct airlift things will improve dramatically.”

Jet Blue already successfully serves Nassau, and Tribune Business reported earlier this week how the recent Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation (BCCEC) led Trade Mission to Panama had encouraged Copa Airlines to begin passenger and cargo services to Freeport from the Central American nation.

In addition, Sunwing will also provide “a major shot in the arm” for Freeport when it begins direct flights from Canada as part of the agreement that will see it take over the Reef Village complex at the Grand Lucayan.

Noting the considerable ‘trickle down’ benefits that Grand Bahama’s economy would enjoy if Sunwing brought 2,000 visitors to the island per week, Mr Sarles told Tribune Business he had already concluded numerous transactions for New York and Hampton’s-based buyers who had “come down and found us”.

Noting that they represented the wealthy elite of New York society, and were the Bahamas’ target second home investors/winter residents, Mr Sarles said the major drawback to attracting them remained the lack of direct airlift.

“We’ve got to bring people here in a cost effective, efficient manner,” he said, adding that costs, time and inconvenience were added if visitors had to stop or overnight in Nassau, Miami or Fort Lauderdale.

Unveiling his partnership with Dering Harbor Real Estate, whose agent, Christine Matth�i, is introducing properties in the Bahamas to her clients in The Hamptons and New York, Mr Sarles said his search for high-end buyers had not stopped there.

Disclosing that he had sent out the Bahamas’ Super Bowl advertisement to clients and contacts via You Tube, Mr Sarles told Tribune Business: “We’ve made some inroads into the Hamptons.

“We’re working with Saville’s in the UK, there’s some brokers I’m working with in Russia, and some advertising that I’ve sent to brokers in Brazil. I’m trying to reach out to as many buyers as possible. There’s been some reaction, but everything is a slow build process.

“We’re willing to do it. It’ll take a lot of leg work, but if everyone works together Freeport will no longer be the bridesmaid; it will become the bride again.”

Noting that major projects always seemed to gravitate towards Nassau, Mr Sarles said that with its miles of beaches and waterfront, if one such development could be enticed to Grand Bahama than Freeport “won’t be the second city any more”.