The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Bimini Big Game Club yesterday ended its two-year brand licensing agreement with Guy Harvey Outpost, one of the latter's executives saying that after repeated delays in the foreclosure process it had turned its interests to other locations.

The owners of the historic 51-room resort and marina announced yesterday they had mutually agreed to end the licensing agreement.

Eric Jarvis, spokesman for the Southern California-based Hankey Group of Companies, owner of the Big Game Club, said: "We will continue to develop the property and make capital improvements, including the addition of a floating dock facility this summer, which will facilitate direct seaplane service."

Mr Jarvis said the relationship, using the branding power of Guy Harvey as a world-celebrated marine wildlife artist and scientist, coupled with the financial backing and support of the Hankey Group, a private financial services, real estate and insurance organisation based in Los Angeles, had put the well-known fishing resort back in play as a popular family destination.

Mr Jarvis added: "The current hotel management in place has grown and improved sales and marketing, and based on their performance and solid bookings through the summer, we felt we could move ahead on our own at this point."

Mark Ellert, president of Guy Harvey Outpost (GHO), said: "The termination of GHO's involvement in the Big Game Club means specifically that we no longer have an agreement to allow the use of our GH trademarks, or those of our brand partners, Neal Watson Undersea Adventures or Vaughn Cochran Blackfly Outfitters, in the advertising and promotion of the club as a Guy Harvey Outpost Resort.

"GHO was not the owner, contrary to common belief. The owner is an individual from Fort Lauderdale who is in default on a loan made by another private individual from California. That person is foreclosing on the Fort Lauderdale owner. This has been ongoing for over four years now. We could not - and did not - buy the property because the foreclosure process prevents that from happening."

Mr Ellert added: "The Fort Lauderdale owner closed the club and defaulted on its loan. After remaining closed for two years, to protect the property from complete deterioration, the California lender, The Hankey Group, decided to reopen the property.

"It hired Guy Harvey Outpost to create a renovation plan, oversee start-up operations and licensed the right to use our Guy Harvey brand, and that of our brand partners, in operating the Club, all in order to instill credibility about the club's renovation and reopening. Our brand partners brought world-class diving and bonefishing programs to the Club."

Mr Ellert said that developing a Guy Harvey research station on the Club's grounds was an important part of our Guy Harvey's interest in becoming involved.

"Because this cannot occur until the foreclosure is finalised, and given the repeated delays in the foreclosure process, our interest has turned to other locations such as Rum Cay. This contributed to our decision to part ways," Mr Ellert said.

After being closed for two years, the Bimini Big Game Club, which was founded as a dinner club in 1936, was re-opened in 2010 following completion of a $3.5 million renovation that included all guest rooms, the new Bimini Big Game Bar & Grill, Hemingway Rum Bar and Social Lounge and the Outfitter Shop.