The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

GRAND Bahama hotelier Russell Miller said Freeport is struggling and there have been no new major investments in the last decade on the island.

He believes that the Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) is not performing at the level it should in terms of attracting new investment and developments to facilitate favourable growth in Freeport.

Mr Miller was one of the featured guests on the Darold Miller Live radio talk show, which was broadcast live from Grand Bahama on Tuesday.

He spoke candidly about the struggles he and other business people are experiencing in Freeport.

Mr Miller, the owner of the Castaways Resort and Suites, said the resort and many other hotel properties in Freeport are struggling. In an effort to increase domestic tourism, the hotel has introduced a new low promotional rate to attract more local gusts.

“We are struggling in Freeport and some favourable things need to happen; one is that we need a new major hotel in Freeport, we need a new project to come here and stir (economic) opportunity, and with that, we need to expand air traffic and air arrivals,” said the hotelier.

Mr Miller, who is also chairman of the Grand Bahama Island Tourism Board, said while Freeport had some great success early this year and in 2014 in international air arrivals, there is still a lot of work to do.

“We are today 50 per cent off where we were at 2004 and 2005,” he told the show’s host.

Another significant challenge facing Freeport, Mr Miller said, is the absence of major air-carriers such as Southwest, Jet Blue, and Frontier. Secondly, he said the cost of travelling to Freeport is too high, despite its close proximity to Florida.

“It is becoming cost prohibitive for people coming to (this) destination. We are closer to Florida and it costs about 100 times more for a ticket to fly than it does from Nassau – that is ridiculous,” he said.

In addition to a new hotel development, Mr Miller stressed that other investments are needed to cause things to happen in Freeport.

He added: “Fortunately, we have all the natural resources and infrastructure in Grand Bahama and concessions, so tell me why aren’t we attracting the right investments to come in here and do the right things in Freeport?”

When asked by the show’s host whether the GBPA is a hindrance, Mr Miller said: “I am going to be as frank as I can - in simple terms I think yes. The role of the port in my mind is to cause growth, development, and investment to happen in Freeport.

“I can’t put my finger on a major project development that has happened in Freeport in the last eight to 10 years, so to me that would be I think in the report card grading that would reflect what the grade would be, and it would not be a positive one.

The hotelier described the run-down state of the former Royal Oasis Resort and the dilapidated International Bazaar as “depressing and disgraceful”.

He said guests staying at his resort have also expressed concerns about the run-down appearance of the old properties, which are just next door to the Castaways.

It is believed that a new hotel would breathe life back to Freeport.

“We get people that come to our hotel and say they are concerned about staying here because of what they are looking at when they are in their room. It is the downgraded, dilapidated condition of the hotel casino, and International Bazaar.

“The bazaar for those of us who experienced and knew it in the years past, it’s now depressing, it’s a disgrace, and it is not safe for anyone to go to and feel comfortable. It is not a good environment. So again, the powers that be need to cause for something to happen. There is always the talk, but we need to get beyond the talk and get things to happen for the benefit of all.”