The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Sandals Royal Bahamian executives said yesterday that they expect the resort to be at “practically full” occupancy by early November, with the property set for a ‘soft opening’ today just over two months after undertaking $4 million worth of renovations.

In line with initial projections of a strong winter season, Gary Williams, general manager at the all-inclusive property, told Tribune Business: “By November 3, we will be practically full.

“We have about 100 rooms coming in Tuesday; at last count it was 98. We have a soft opening on Tuesday; things are going fine. The official opening and celebration is the weekend of November 18.”

Mr Williams added: “The full complement of staff is coming back; a little less than 600. It depends on the occupancy. It’s about 400-600 depending on the occupancy.”

The union representing Sandals Royal Bahamian workers has accused the resort of ‘union busting’, claiming that roughly 10 per cent of union members who were made redundant back in August have been rehired. Resort executives have refuted those allegations.

Mr Williams told Tribune Business previously that the resort had pushed its opening date back 12 days as a result of damages sustained during Hurricane Matthew, adding that delaying the opening to mid-December would have been “ideal, but we have to get people working”.

“We had a lot of landscape damage and that took a lot of work. Sandals Cay was also badly damaged. There is just some last minute work but we will be ready,” said Mr Williams, who was unable yesterday to put an exact figure on the added cost of Hurricane Matthew-related damages.

Sandals Royal Bahamian had outlined plans for a newly renovated Windsor pool, restored Balmoral pool deck, and major upgrades to five of its restaurants to include re-roofing.

The Windsor Ballroom also underwent significant improvements to include updated audio visual equipment and soft furnishings. Other repair work that had been planned extended to the resort’s Red Lane Spa and an overhaul of electrical systems in select areas.