The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The developers behind Eleuthera’s French Leave Resort & Marina have spent “about half” of the $7-$8 million first phase budget, with flint rock having put the construction schedule three months behind.

Eddie Lauth, chief executive of Shaner Capital, the financing arm of principal French Leave developer, the Shaner Corporation, told Tribune Business that contractors believe the rock encountered during infrastructure work is the hardest they have ever experienced.

“We’re still plugging away,” he said. “We’re trying to keep up with the underground infrastructure. We lost about three months in trying to get through the flint rock. The excavating company said it was the hardest rock they’ve ever encountered.”

Undeterred, Mr Lauth said construction work had begun on French Leave’s first three cottages. A total of 16 will be built in the first phase, ranging in size from 600 to 1,500 square feet, and he added that while work on the cottages had to wait for the infrastructure to “catch up”, the developers planned to continue construction through into the resort’s commercial area.

This will include amenities such as the 1648 Bar & Grill, named after the year that the Eleutheran Adventurers settled on the island, plus a reception area, events lawn, wedding patio, two marina slips and a gift shop.

“It’s taken time but we’re doing it the right way,” Mr Lauth said of French Leave’s construction. “We’ve had a really good response from the architecture, keeping the Bahamian authenticity and English designs.

“It will be an extension to the settlement of Governor’s Harbour. We don’t want to compete with it, we want to be part of it.

“The first three cottages should be complete by this summer. We’re a little bit behind schedule because of the flint rock, but right now we expect those three to be done by July. We expect to continue right into the commercial area immediately,” he added.

“We were shooting for opening for the 2015 season for the first 16 cottages. As soon as they come on, it’s our intention - hopefully in January 2014 - to start to have those available for rental for guests. The key is we’re trying to get the commercial area done now, which will support the cottages.”

Eleuthera-based contractor, Brad’s United, is leading French Leave’s construction, and Mr Lauth told Tribune Business: “We’re very pleased with the progress to date. We encountered flint rock, which we couldn’t predict.

“We’re also very pleased with the reception we’ve received from potential buyers, people wanting to come to the hotel.”

French Leave and Shaner are focused on ensuring the resort benefits Eleutherans first, both from employment and entrepreneurial spin-off opportunities.

Estimating that between 20-30 full-time staff would be hired for the first phase, Mr Lauth said: “We have begun a shortlist of people we know in the area. We’re really looking to stay away from these job fairs; I’m not sure that’s in the best interest of Bahamians

“We know a lot of people on Eleuthera, and are trying to identify people in the local market we can train and hire. Our goal is to hire the local people we’ve already known for years. We have a pretty good handle on people in the marketplace.”

Numerous Eleuthera residents had already contacted the French Leave developers, and Mr Lauth said many were experienced in the resort industry as a result of working for the former Club Med property in Governor’s Harbour.