By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
BAHA MAR officials would not respond directly to international reports that a travel industry insider was told by unnamed representatives of the resort that it would open in late August or September.
However, when contacted about the report, Baha Mar public relations director Paul Turnquest said: “Baha Mar is committed to applying its best efforts to have construction on the project properly completed and in turn to having a successful opening of Baha Mar as a premier world-class destination resort.
“Baha Mar has publicly expressed the importance of all parties involved with the project fulfilling the assurances they have made. Beyond this, Baha Mar has no further comment.”
Travel Weekly, an international travel publication, recently reported that according to Jack Richards, the CEO of travel company Pleasant Holidays, unnamed resort officials told him a late August or September opening for the resort is a strong possibility.
This reportedly came after Mr Richards inspected the site, which he said is more than 90 per cent complete.
Expressing satisfaction in the appearance of the project, he noted that his company would offer Baha Mar related packages as of November 1.
“I was very impressed with the resort. I was there four hours, went in and out of hotels, the convention centre and the casino. The place is a mix of Las Vegas and the French Riviera in the Caribbean, and it is more than 90 per cent completed,” Mr Richards is quoted in Travel Weekly.
He added: “Just to be sure, I am saying November 1 for Pleasant Holidays packages. If Baha Mar opens sooner, I can change the effective dates on our packages to reflect that.”
Prime Minister Perry Christie recently said that despite meeting with Baha Mar executives “every single day” over continuing challenges with completion of the $3.5bn project, only resort officials can now say when the mega resort will open.
Last week Tuesday he said he is “consumed” by the resort’s opening delays, noting that work on the West Bay Street’s mega-resort has come to a standstill.
Earlier he had said that the developer – the Izmirlian family – wants to finalise a precise date for the project’s completion while the main contractor, China Construction America (CCA), wants instalment payments for work previously done.
Tribune Business revealed exclusively in April that China Construction had “slowed down” its work on the Baha Mar project due to a dispute with the developer over how much it should have been paid in February.
Mr Christie said he acted as mediator in the dispute, adding that he has emphasised to the relevant parties that the project is very important to the progress of this country.
The resort was initially expected to open in December 2014.
Comments
watcher 8 years, 10 months ago
August......December......next year.......who really cares at this moment? Just so long as we are not left with a 3.5 billion dollar white elephant. I'd rather they took their own sweet time to complete BahaMar properly than the parties continue to squabble and embarrass us on the international stage.
Honestman 8 years, 10 months ago
Amen!
duppyVAT 8 years, 10 months ago
This was the Chinese intention from the beginning .............. instead of do this in two or more phases, they insisted in doing it as one shot ........... they knew that this would overwhelm Izzie and the Bahamian government but they knew that that would give them the trump card that they needed to demand further concessions or deals from Perry ....... but we still continue to put our trust in the Chinese .......... but they dont mean us any good....... it is just a sad situation for all of us.
Honestman 8 years, 10 months ago
Izzie was under capitalized from the beginning and you are right, the Chinese always knew he was going to be vulnerable. They have held all the trump cards since the hand was dealt. China has no interest in the well being of the Bahamas and it is only now that our politicians are coming to realize this.
avidreader 8 years, 10 months ago
China is a rising power in the world for a variety of reasons: strict control of the people by a single monolithic political organization (The Communist Party); few if any workers' rights so no strikes or demands for better wages or working conditions; an ability to undercut any and all competitors in the world market; a policy of cultivating countries capable of supplying their energy and raw materials needs, etc.
Notice that China is not engaged in making war on other sovereign nations but is gradually building up its military machine. The Chinese are very sensitive to incidents in their past wherein foreign nations either controlled parts of their territory or imposed unjust obligations (treaty or otherwise) upon them. Look up the "Boxer Rebellion" of 1900 and "The Opium Wars" of around 1839 and remember what the French Emperor Napoleon said when it was suggested that he turn his expansionist intentions toward China: "Let China sleep for when she wakes the world will tremble".
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