The Tribune

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

The Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president yesterday said the Grand Lucayan's planned February 1, 2021, re-opening will "be a real positive note" to start the New Year on.

Greg Laroda told Tribune Business: “When we were hoping we could get Dorian behind us, COVID came along in March. So when you look at 2021 coming in, I believe if we can get at least a section of that hotel open, and get some folks back to work, I think that would be a real positive note to start 2021 off on. I would say I have nothing but optimism in terms of speaking to that."

The GB Chamber chief spoke after Lucayan Renewal Holdings, the Government-owned special purpose vehicle (SPV) that holds the Grand Lucayan on its behalf, confirmed previous revelations by this newspaper that it plans to open the resort's 196-room Lighthouse Pointe property - together with several restaurants and the spa and fitness centre - by early February.

Mr Laroda said the Grand Lucayan's re-opening will give businesses and residents alike “hope” that Grand Bahama's moribund economy is starting to revive. He warned, however, that recovery will not happen overnight, and the resort's return was unlikely to produce a "big economic bang".

The decision to re-open the Grand Lucayan comes as negotiations to finalise the property's sale to Holistica, the Royal Caribbean/ITM Group joint venture, continue to drag on. It is unclear whether the re-opening move is a sign that little progress is being made, especially after Michael Scott, the hotel's chairman, recently branded the terms of the transaction as “bad deal”.

Mr Laroda, though, said: “I don't think that investors are taking too much of a risk to continue with an investment here in that hotel property. I think it's going to pay off for them, and I think it's going to be the start of a turnaround here for us on Grand Bahama.”

Brent Collins, chief executive of Freeport-based Power Equipment, who has had contracts with the Grand Lucayan in the past, said it was re-opening both the smallest and most expensive part of the complex.

"Those are like the super duper executive suites that you try to attract the rich people to," he said. "Unless that is their goal, I was looking forward to the rest of the place being opened because that’s where the bulk of the tourists normally stay - in the bigger units.”

"So when they mentioned they opening up Lighthouse Point, I mean, I know some of them will be couple hundred dollars a night. I guess they are just trying to show people progress. It didn't make me get the indication or the feeling that anything significant had started.”

Alfredo Bridgewater, owner/operator of Coco Nutz, said: “I didn't realise it [the opening] was pushed back. I thought it would open sooner. It's just everything is up in the air. We don't have ways to bring guests to the island, so the hotel opening is the lesser of like three evils.

"Given the amount of traffic that we're able to have from private visitors and the few airlines that come, and with the few Airbnbs and Pelican Bay, and the one or two boutique hotels that are open, it is more than sufficient.”

“Aside from the workers who would feel it the most, because they're not employed, we have more than enough rooms available for the small amount of guests that we do have. The sad part is we need more guests in our rooms, and that involves having more ships like the Balearia and the Celebration to bring guests to the island.”

Still optimistic about 2021, Mr Bridgewater said that at least the Lighthouse Point will re-hire workers and be a “step in the right direction” for Grand Bahama.