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Resorts World Bimini announces 'improved transportation initiative'

As of Friday, January 8, 2016

By RICARDO WELLS

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

OFFICIALS at Resorts World Bimini (RWB) have announced sweeping changes to the resort's transportation strategy, saying that its new multi-tiered "improved transportation initiative" will deliver "Bimini Bliss" to scores of guests quicker and more efficiently.

Lamenting the scope of the resort's former transit plan, executives on Friday proposed that its new initiative - which from Monday offers enhanced air service and halts the Bimini SuperFast ferry - will improve existing transportation options and allow guests to spend less time in transit and more time enjoying the resort’s new amenities.

Ed Farrell, the RWB President, said officials were pressed to introduce the new initiative ahead of the grand opening of the resort's 300-room luxury hotel scheduled for this spring.

The new initiative, characterised under the 'Break for Bimini' moniker, will reintroduce daily, non-stop commercial air services from mainland Florida to Bimini.

A statement released by the resort on Friday read: "Cape Air will be launching twice-daily seaplane flights to Bimini from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport on January 3, increasing to five-times daily by January 10 and with additional flights from Watson Island Seaplane Base in Miami. Silver Airways is currently operating three flights a week to Bimini from Fort Lauderdale and will be expanding to daily service beginning December 28."

As proposed, daily commercial flight services via Cape Air, Silver Airways and a luxury flight service offered by the resort will offer the capacity to transport nearly 500 guests to the island on a weekly basis.

In the past, resort guests depended on a ferry service - the Bimini SuperFast - that operated a three-hour transit between Bimini and mainland Florida.

Air services are projected to transport guests between the two points in roughly 20-minutes.

When introduced, the Bimini SuperFast was hailed a success as the island of Bimini suffered from a lack of commercial flight services.

"As a result of new, more expedient transportation options being available to all guests, operation of the Bimini SuperFast ferry will cease as of January 10, 2016. RWB is committed to continuing to provide ferry service for guests wishing to enjoy the trip via sea."

The resort will replace the SuperFast with a more efficient ferry operation in coming months. The improved ferry service is is expected to use the jetty recently completed by RWB and transit between the Port of Miami and Bimini.

In 2014 the Christie administration came under fire after the resort commenced a dredging excercise in its quest to construct a cruise ship terminal, 1,000 ft pier and man-made island.

The government then, in response to concerns raised, said the project would bring significant economic benefits to the country.

Comments

thomas 8 years, 3 months ago

They are halting the service after all the damage done in that area

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DillyTree 8 years, 3 months ago

Wow, and all the damaged to the corals, mangroves and the area's ecosystem is set aside as Resorts World comes up with a new plan to screw things up even more. Face it, it's DOA. As so many of us told you, it won't work, isn't working, and will not work. Another white elephant to deface our beautiful islands.

Just short of bringing guests in at gunpoint, no one wants to come! When will they see this?

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EasternGate 8 years, 3 months ago

PLP will remain quiet on this one

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Publius 8 years, 3 months ago

The damage done to our ecosystem was not worth it no matter how many people were brought by that ferry, and now they are stopping the service on top of it all. This is what happens when you regard the precious things granted to you as trash - others will think nothing of trashing it.

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Tarzan 8 years, 3 months ago

Where is the outrage. All of the responsible environmental groups in the Bahamas pleaded with government to put a stop to this degradation of the precious reef system on Bimini. Evidence detailing the sorry record of these "docking facilities" being built and then abandoned all over the Bahamas was presented. Do we need to recite the list here? Just like Disney Cruises did in Freeport after GBPA spent $17 million renovating Freeport Harbour as a dedicated port for Disney.Just like Disney did at Guana Cay. Just like the Big Red Boat did when GBPA closed off and refurbished Obera Beach. No one in government would listen. Where is the outrage? The corals are gone. The pristine environment of Bimini is destroyed. it will take generations for it to recover if ever. Now all for what?????

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Publius 8 years, 3 months ago

Bahamians, with few exceptions, do not care. That is why there is no outrage.

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asiseeit 8 years, 3 months ago

Perry Christie has no concept of what the environment of The Bahamas consists of. He is a city boy who most would bet does not even know how to swim. The man probably has never caught a crab, speared a fish, or dove a reef, he is clueless when it comes to what makes the Bahamas so special.

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BiminiHomeowner 8 years, 3 months ago

It's pathetic that the Tribune just repeated RWB's own fictitious spin on this story. The facts are that the hugely destructive RWB Superfast FAILED, as so many people predicted.

Both PM Christie and the RWB/Hilton teams said repeatedly that this cruise ship would be the "game changer" that carried all of Bimini to prosperity, and it was all nonsense.

The damage to this island has been unreal, and all for what? What else is Christie going to allow from this corrupt relationship with a failing business?

To the Tribune and all of the Bahamian press, stop printing what they want you to, and do your jobs as journalists.

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proudloudandfnm 8 years, 3 months ago

Someone has to be prosecuted. They dredged without approval...

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John 8 years, 3 months ago

I Hope I Am wrong but I'm getting this strong feeling that Bah Mar will not open before 2017. Half of January is gone it is still at a standstill Nothing happening. And the legal wranglings haven't heated up yet. Of course there will be a lot of them. Even after the property gets finished and opened the legal battles will continue. But at least there will be employment and some lawyers will make lots of money.

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ThisIsOurs 8 years, 3 months ago

Isn't it amazing that it was all predicted by reasonable people as the most likely scenario. I'd bet that Izmiralian stuck to his guns because he couldn't fathom that the government would be irresponsible enough to go down this road

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GrassRoot 8 years, 3 months ago

  1. Our Government had no clue this was coming, because they are busy counting the money in their coffers.
  2. This is now a good time to put down the foot (Mr. Gibson, yes, why not you) to make a case that Bahamian resources are to be used first. Require RWB to hire Bahamian pilots (a good moment to offload some of the factually redundant pilots at Bahamasair) for the shuttles.
  3. It just shows that RWB is making so much money that the can even change their strategies and write off the ferry boats from today to tomorrow. Where is the trickle down effect?
  4. I wonder how many non-Bahamians are hired in the Bimini Resorts/Hotels of RWB, how about shipping out some of the Baha Mar trained staff?
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asiseeit 8 years, 3 months ago

It just seems whatever this P.M. does turns to garbage. The man is a jinx and a noose around the neck of the nation!

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bahamalove 8 years, 3 months ago

What this 'spin' story doesn't say is that they see much greater profitability in using the ferry to transport guests from South Florida to Cuba. Everyone is gearing up to get a slice of Cuba and no one wants to be left out including the Genting Group. That ferry would probably be full if it were to travel from Nassau to Havana with all the Bahamian men looking to "sightsee" in Cuba.

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MonkeeDoo 8 years, 3 months ago

We have this failure and some jackass is ( Christie says ) going to pour 90+ Million into Cat Cay and then MSC is going to develop Ocean Cay when they take over the lease from Jimmie Mosko and Tony Myers ! Steffan Christie got to be in the mix there too. Never far from Jimmie, gettin Daddy's share of the spoils ! Arawak Port shareholders may as well sell out because MSC ( Mediterranean Shipping Company ) will be clearing freight at Ocean Cay and bringing it to Nassau duty paid ! See the play !

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Economist 8 years, 3 months ago

MSC play is to be able to "touch" The Bahamas on the way to Cuba.

Ocean Cay is perfect; no extra miles to any inhabited island (and Bahamian businesses), just touch and go and still be able to say you go to The Bahamas .

Way to go government.

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sheeprunner12 8 years, 3 months ago

This Bimini resort, Carnival and Bahamar best summarizes "jumpstart investments" of the bungling 2012-17 five year term of the pathetic PLP under Perry Christie

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asiseeit 8 years, 3 months ago

Our emperor most certainly does NOT have the Midas touch. The only gold rush is the corrupt sort and that only hurts our Nation. F F F Failure!

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