The Tribune

By Neil Hartnell

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

A former prime minister yesterday pledged he and nearby residents will hold Baha Mar and the Government’s “feet to the fire” over noise and health fears stemming from the mega resort’s likely use of two-plus acres that will “unlock” its $350m expansion project.

Dr Hubert Minnis, the area’s MP, told Tribune Business that Westward Villas residents harbour “serious concerns” over various types of pollution they believe will be caused by the Cable Beach mega resort locating back-up generation facilities and other electrical equipment on a 2.077-acre parcel it is acquiring from the Government for $1.6m.

However, Robert Sands, Baha Mar’s senior vice-president of government and external affairs, said the developer is “not concerned that will be an issue” and pointed out that its recently-issued planning approvals signalled the Town Planning Committee is satisfied there will be no noise or fume-related impacts.

He reiterated the promises made by Baha Mar executives at the recent Town Planning public consultation, where they undertook to employ the “latest acoustical designs” and “buffering” to ensure noise is “kept at similar levels”, if not less than, residents would hear from traffic on West Bay Street.

Confirming that Baha Mar is targeting a mid-February 2026 ground-breaking for its fourth resort property, which will be located at the former Melia Nassau Beach Resort site, Mr Sands added that all “principal approvals” have now been obtained to enable the construction project to proceed.

And, echoing the Prime Minister, the senior Baha Mar executive said the 2.077-acre parcel is “extremely important” as a location that will provide “critical” support services to the new resort that is expected to generate 400 construction, and 500 full-time, jobs.

Addressing the House of Assembly on a resolution to approve the Bahamian treasurer’s transfer, and sale, of the parcel to Baha Mar’s designated acquisition vehicle, Philip Davis KC said the transaction will “unlock” the Cable Beach mega resort’s latest growth phase by providing a location to manage traffic and reduce West Bay Street congestion during the construction stage.

“For that next phase to function properly, the campus must be planned as one integrated whole. That is why this 2.077-acre parking and service parcel is so important,” he told MPs.

“It gives the resort the space to manage staff parking, service vehicles, tour buses and guest arrivals in a way that reduces congestion on West Bay Street and improves safety and comfort for everyone.

“So when we approve this resolution, we are not simply moving a piece of paper from one file to another. We are helping to unlock a $350m expansion that will secure hundreds of jobs, deepen our luxury product, and strengthen Cable Beach as a leading district for high-end travel.”

Reiterating that the Government, through the land transfer, is honouring commitments it made in two Heads of Agreement, which were signed with Baha Mar’s developer, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE), in 2019 and 2024, Mr Davis added: “The practical side is that this land is an important support area for the Baha Mar campus.

“It is where parking, access, staff movements and logistics can be organised in a safe, orderly way, so that expansion on the old Melia footprint can proceed without creating chaos on West Bay Street.

“Without this step, the next phase of Baha Mar’s growth is slower, less efficient and less certain. With this resolution, Parliament clears the way for a major investment that is already agreed, already announced, and eagerly awaited by workers and businesses.”

Dr Minnis, though, said the fears of Killarney constituents living near the 2.077-acre parcel have yet to be eased. “That’s a serious concern of the residents,” he told Tribune Business of noise and fumes they believe will be caused by Baha Mar’s generator and electrical equipment.

“We will hold their feet to the fire with that,” he added of Baha Mar and the Government. “It’s the residents who live at the western end of Westward Villas. They’ll be plagued with the noise, fumes and respiratory challenges. The Government has to monitor that adequately to ensure the residents are protected if they proceed with that project.

“I know the residents expressed serious concerns, and are not in favour of it going through. It can cause their property values to decrease. Who wants to live next to noise pollution. The Government has to take that into consideration; that the residents will be affected. If they proceed, they should at least have another meeting to assure the residents that all will be done to ensure noise pollution is remedied and they will not be troubled with noise and smoke.”

Dr Minnis had earlier raised similar concerns during the House of Assembly debate, asserting: “It’s important for individuals to know what is intended to go on this piece of real estate we are debating. I’ve been informed that the hotel wants to put their generators, power station facilities there, and those in the west living alongside this area are very concerned.

“They already have to put up with flooding and road erosion created by us. Now we are compounding the problem because the hotel wants to put electrical generator power facilities there. We are going to experience severe noise pollution. What are they doing to avoid that? We are also going to experience fumes, which are going to impact on their health.”

Dr Minnis, a doctor and former minister of health, added: “We are now exposing our residents in the immediate vicinity not only to noise pollution but respiratory challenges. We’ll not see it today, but we’ll see it tomorrow. It’s our responsibility as a government to protect future generations.”

But Mr Sands, while confirming that back-up generators and other electrical equipment are among the potential facilities that will be located on the 2.077-acre parcel, dispelled Dr Minnis’ arguments and said Baha Mar has already planned measures to deal with the concerns of nearby residents.

“That has always been a part of our acreage,” the senior Baha Mar executive said of the parcel being acquired from the Treasurer. “That was a part of the campus that was earmarked for the resort, for Baha Mar. It has been used in the past, and it will be used again to facilitate some amenities for the new hotel. It’s an extremely important parcel as is the entire Baha Mar campus. It is a critical piece of the future development.”

Asked what will be located on the parcel, Mr Sands replied: “They’re still being developed. There’s going to be some service elements that support hotel, and we would have outlined those in the Town Planning Committee public consultation meeting. There are a number of facilities going to be in that area. I think there’s going to be electrical switching gear, some back-up generation going there to support the facilities.”

Speaking directly to the concerns raised by Dr Minnis and nearby residents, Dr Sands said: “We have committed to ensuring that it will be buffered to ensure a minimal, if any, noise level that’s similar to vehicular traffic on the road utilising the latest acoustical design and landscape buffering to prevent those elements.

“We’re not concerned that will be an issue, and we have satisfied the authorities that’s not an issue… We’re looking at a mid-February 2026 ground breaking. The principal approval to proceed was Town Planning.” Mr Davis yesterday told the House of Assembly that Baha Mar’s new resort property is due to open in 2029.

He added that the land/sale transfer resolution brought forward for Parliament’s approval “regularises the position of a parcel that should already have been conveyed” given that the Government had committed to this in 2019, with Baha Mar supplying the identity of the acquiring identity in February 2020. Both events took place under the former Minnis administration.