The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

ATLANTIS’S top executive yesterday said the wekend’s Pure Silk-Bahamas Ladies Professional Golf Assocation (LPGA) tournament generated some 3,000 room nights for the resort.

George Markantonis, president and managing director of Brookfield Hospitality (Bahamas), said Atlantis’s occupancy level was in the high 80 per cent range over the US Memorial Day weekend.

“We were running in the high 80 per cent range for the Memorial Day Weekend,” he said.

“The LPGA Golf tournament really helped there. That generated about 3,000 room nights. We had some solid traffic for day visitors as well. Notwithstanding the rain which came down last week and forced us almost into a crisis management mode, as we got the golf course ready, it went very well. I have to give credit to the ground crews and support staff at the One & Only Ocean Club at Atlantis.

Meanwhile, a tourism executive told Tribune Business that the LPGA event has helped to further reposition the Bahamas as a destination for golf.

Tyrone Sawyer, director of sports tourism development, said the tournament went extremely well despite challenges created by the weather, which reduced it to 12 holes and a later start.

“We certainly generated a very good outcome in terms of room nights and visitor spending. The tournament went extremely well,” Mr Sawyer said.

“We had excellent coverage on the Golf Channel. We are very pleased with the outcome of it despite the challenges with the weather earlier in the week. All of the players showed up for the event, and because of the format they didn’t have a usual cut and all of the players played straight on to Sunday. It was an innovative and creative way to improvise because of the weather we encountered earlier in the week.”

In terms of the exposure generated from the coverage of the event, Mr Sawyer added: “I think that’s the part we are very pleased about - the Golf Channel in 150 countries.

“That has had a tremendous impact in terms of helping us to reposition the island of the Bahamas as a golf destination.”

South Korea’s Lee Il-Hee captured her first LPGA title on Sunday, firing a five-under par 42 over a 12-hole round to win the tournament by two strokes over American Irene Cho. Lee finished on an 11-under 126 for 36 holes played in three 12-hole rounds, due to course flooding.