The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A SENIOR private sector executive has said that it was “prudent” for Baha Mar to delay its “grand opening” to late Spring 2015, stating that while the delay had come as “no surprise” it could led to increased employment opportunities for Bahamians.

Baha Mar president Tom Dunlap outlined the developer’s opening plans in a letter to employees last week. He wrote that “we expect to have the full Baha Mar destination resort open for our guests” in late Spring 2015.

The $3.5 billion mega resort at Cable Beach is expected to open in stages from December onwards. Commenting on that announcement Edison Sumner, Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employer’s Confederation (BCCEC) chief executive, told Tribune Business: “We’re disappointed of course that the opening is pushed back but we also see the wisdom and prudence in it. It is best for them not to open when they know they are not ready.

“It would only cause more problems for them. We certainly think that the push back to next Spring will give them more time to get people properly trained, do some more vetting and give those looking to get into the development through auxiliary services time to prepare themselves better.”

Mr Sumner added: “We were always concerned that the December deadline that was being projected was a bit aggressive. We monitored the progress of the development there and it seemed to us that Baha Mar would have had a challenge meeting that deadline. The fact that the opening was pushed back is certainly no surprise.”

Robert Sands, Baha Mar’s senior vice-president of government and external affairs, told The Tribune last week that the priority was to “get the guest experience right first time”. He said it was “not uncommon” for projects of Baha Mar’s scale to undergo a phased, or staged, opening and that the push back of the date had not been caused by construction delays or problems.

Work began three years ago on the development, which includes four new hotels - the Baha Mar Hotel and Casino, the Grand Hyatt, Rosewood and SLS Hotels branded properties - and numerous associated amenities such as a convention centre. Concerns were raised about a possible delay in the resort’s opening earlier this year after Morgans Hotel Group Management terminated its hotel management agreement with Baha Mar. It was one of three hotel management groups that Baha Mar inked deals with in 2011 to manage its properties.

“We are wishing them all the best in hoping that they stay on course to get the opening done for the new projected date. It’s going to push some levels of employment back a few months but not going to take away employment opportunities we think. While the date has been moved for the opening I don’t think it will have much of an impact on the employment levels except that they might actually improve as a result of moving the date back for the opening,” said Mr Sumner.

“You have private vendors and contractors who may wish to get into Baha Mar on contracts who might not have been ready to present themselves in time for the December opening. This now gives those persons and companies more time to prepare themselves and get their product and services lined up so that when the opening does occur they would be quite ready. It takes away that rush factor for them to get it done.”

Baha Mar executives have stated in the past that the mega-luxury resort would employ more than 4,000 people.