The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

February Point’s new owners are already anticipating a greater investment than the initially budgeted $40 million, telling Tribune Business yesterday they were planning a larger marina and creating 350 total jobs at the construction peak.

Burton Rodgers, the development’s vice-president of operations, said that after “a crazy three weeks” the Exuma-based project’s were moving “full steam ahead” by rolling three construction phases into one.

The John McGarvey-led team had previously planned to upgrade February Point’s ‘Plaza’ area, and construct 25-unit and six-unit condo complexes, in three separate phases.

But Mr Rodgers, speaking to Tribune Business following last weekend’s February Point job fair in Georgetown, said the development team would work on all three at the same time, with the aim of starting construction “within 60 days”.

Disclosing that the goal was to complete the ‘Plaza’ and condo units in about a year, Mr Rodgers said the developers would then move on their “huge, huge” mega yacht marina that will cover an area similar in size to the Atlantis marina.

A partner was being sought for that particular project, he added, with a 50-75 room boutique hotel and joint venture with the Government for the 800-acre Flamingo Bay site also on the drawing board come 2015.

Pointing out that new jobs were “desperately needed on the island”, Mr Rodgers told Tribune Business that the weekend recruitment effort went “absolutely fantastic”.

“We had a little over 300 people show up for the Job Fair,” he said. “It started at 10am, and people were there from 8am in the morning. We ran it until 5pm, and there were some others that came and dropped off applications.

“We have about 30 persons that we want to hire right now, but we’re going to hire people in phases. As the construction ramps up, that number will double in the next 30-60 days, and from there that number will increase once the major construction starts.

“It’s been a crazy three weeks, but it’s been fun trying to create jobs.”

Mr Rodgers said initial hires would be in the areas of landscaping, maintenance, administration and housekeeping.

He added that February Point’s developers had already hired 12 construction workers, who had started on Monday to remodel the existing restaurant, gym and sales office.

Mr Rodgers said Mr McGarvey, who purchased and remodelled Exuma’s former Coconut Cove hotel, was already meeting with architects and contractors to kickstart February Point’s further development.

The first expansion phase includes a $4-$6 million investment in the ‘Plaza’ area, incorporating a new amenity pool, sales office and bar and restaurant area.

Also starting simultaneously, said Mr Rodgers, will be the construction of a 25-unit condo complex, plus a further six condos that “look like houses” in the ‘fingertip’ area of February Point.

“We had all of that separated out into three different phases, but are going to do them one-time,” Mr Rodgers disclosed to Tribune Business.

“It’s been a very hectic two-three weeks. We went from phasing to running full steam ahead.”

With all their renderings completed, February Point’s new owners are just waiting for their construction plans to be stamped ‘approved’ by the Government.

“We’re trying to put a shovel in the ground within 60 days if possible,” Mr Rodgers disclosed to Tribune Business. “I’d say it will take a year from start to finish, the bar and pool area will be done by January/February next year.”

Once the initial construction is completed, the McGarvey-led team is planning to roll seamlessly into its marina and hotel developments, plus working with the Government on Flamingo Bay.

“Once we finish those we will move into the mega yacht marina,” Mr Rodgers told Tribune Business. “We’re looking at some potential partners to come in and do that.

“That’s a huge, huge project. It will be about the same size as Atlantis’s marina. The Atlantis marina is about 11-12 acres, and this is about the same size.”

And Mr Rodgers added: “As soon as next week, we’re hoping to meet with the Government to start discussing the joint venture across the street on 800 acres at Flamingo Bay. The discussion is happening now, but it will all come on stream next year.”

He described the developers’ original $40 million investment estimate as “a ball park figure”, and told Tribune Business: “That number can actually go up. It depends on the marina and what we do across the street.

A sporting complex, featuring an athletics track and soccer field, plus basketball gymnasium and Olympic-standard swimming pool, are among the facilities planned for Flamingo Bay.

The proposed boutique hotel, meanwhile, will be constructed on February Point property, and its size - between 50-75 units - will depend on whether the developers brand it themselves or bring in a five-star name.

Mr Rodgers told Tribune Business that construction jobs at February Point “should ramp up to well over 200 once the marina and hotel” are underway.

And, with lot buyers constructing their own homes at February Point, and full-time employees working in the project’s operations and provision of services, Mr Rodgers said employment “could easily top over 300” and reach around 350.

Mr McGarvey and his fellow investors finally completed the protracted $8.2 million purchase of February Point from the Hart family last month.