The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

A sports tourism event set for Exuma next week is expected to give the local economy a “high five-figure” financial boost, organisers yesterday telling Tribune Business that the goal was to make it an annual occasion that could help raise money for Bahamian athletic associations.

The Grand Isle Resort & Spa is set to play host to a number of decorated Canadian athletes in what has been dubbed ‘Sochi Under the Sun’ on February 9-23.

The resort has partnered with the Canadian Athletes Now Fund (CAN Fund) and Commonwealth Games Canada to host the two-week long event. The top Canadian athletes will celebrate the winter Olympics at the resort in a bid to raise money for their fellow athletes.

Peter Nicholson, president of GIV Bahamas Inc and an owner at Grand Isle, which recently served as the official Out Island partner for Bahamas Speed Week, told Tribune Business: “This is generally a softer time. We are busier in March and April and, of course, Christmas.

“We’re trying to put on events that would motivate people to come either from Nassau, America or Canada. We have about 40-50 people coming in on Bahamasair and Sky Bahamas that wouldn’t have been here had we not put on this event.

“We sold 40 tickets for our ‘Dinner of Champions’ and then there is a multi-player effect. We’re still getting some last minute people coming in.”

Mr Nicholson said the goal was to ultimately make the event an annual celebration of Canadian and Bahamian sports excellence, and raise funds for local athletics associations.

Sochi Under the Sun will feature nine Canadian olympians, half a dozen National Hockey League (NHL) players and a golf tournament, as well as a road hockey game in Farmer’s Cay. The event will cap off with the Dinner of Champions on February 22.

Mr Nicholson estimated that the financial boost to the Exuma economy over the two-week period would be in the “high five figure” to “low six figure range”.

Mr Nicholson said: “The biggest problem with Exuma is that the world hasn’t found out about it yet. My main job is to get people to come and give us a try.”

He said that since purchasing 31 of 78 high-end villas at Grand Isle back in 2012, he had sold 12 of them, generating well over $10 million in sales.

“My debt is being paid down very quickly. I noticed an uptick, especially with Americans buying within the last 12 months. In my first year it was mainly Canadians and Europeans, now the Americans have come in strong,” said Mr Nicholson.