The Tribune

A MIAMI-based investment firm has submitted a formal proposal to help complete a long-planned community centre in Black Point, Exuma, positioning the project as a stand-alone community benefit amid delays to broader development in the area.

Yntegra Group said it has presented the proposal to the Black Point Community Development & Regatta Association, outlining plans to support construction of the Black Point Community Center, which is intended to serve both as a gathering space and as a hurricane and emergency shelter.

The company said the submission follows years of engagement with residents and is not tied to ownership or operation of the facility. Under the proposal, the centre would remain community-owned, with long-term oversight structured through the association and local government stakeholders if the plan is approved.

Yntegra Group chief executive officer Felipe MacLean said the project responds to a long-standing community need, particularly for a safe shelter during hurricanes.

“For us, this has never been a question of if, but when,” Mr MacLean said. “We have spent years coming to Black Point, listening, learning, and understanding what this community truly needs. A safe place, especially during hurricanes, has always been clear. Now we are at a point where we can take the next steps and move forward.”

According to the company, the association’s board will review the proposal and, if it agrees, work with local government stakeholders to guide the next phase, including the creation of a community-based structure to manage the facility over the long term.

Yntegra said its proposed role would include supporting construction, providing machinery and equipment, and ensuring the building is designed to function as a resilient hurricane shelter. The company also said it intends to prioritise local employment, with residents of Black Point hired during construction.

If the proposal is approved, the company said local hiring would begin immediately, coordinated by a dedicated hiring manager.

In its announcement, Yntegra also acknowledged delays affecting wider development plans in the area, citing ongoing legal action by neighbouring developments Turtlegrass and Over Yonder. The company said it did not want those delays to continue affecting the Black Point community.

“When projects are delayed, it’s not paperwork that suffers, it’s people and families,” Mr MacLean said. “We are committed to Black Point for the long term, and this is one meaningful step we can take now.”

Yntegra described the community centre initiative as an expansion of smaller forms of support it has provided to Black Point over the years, and as a longer-term investment in community infrastructure, safety and economic opportunity.