The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Baha Mar’s new owner yesterday said it will not repeat the mistakes of previous developer, Sarkis Izmirlian, and reassured that its ‘soft opening’ on April 21 is “not a sham”.

Graeme Davis, president of Chow Tai Took Enterprises’ (CTFE) Bahamian subsidiary, told Tribune Business that the Hong Kong-based conglomerate has “one chance to get it right”, which was why it had adopted a phased opening approach to the $4.2 billion resort development.

“We only have one chance to get it right, and that is to ensure that we open properly and in a phased manner, and ensure that the experience is exceptional on day one,”Mr Davis said.

“We have a tremendous amount of invited guests already. We are full in the first days. We will open that reservation system, rest assured. This is not a sham. This is not anything other than a lodging company that has experience and will open on our terms, in the right fashion, and ensure that every guest walks away with an exceptional experience and tells that in order to regain the trust that was lost in the past. We want to make sure we get it right this time.”

His comments came after his presentation at a public hearing on Friday over thegaming license application by Sky Warrior (Bahamas) Ltd, the CTFE affiliate which will own and operate the project’s 100,000 square foot casino, the largest in the Caribbean.

During the presentation, Mr Davis confirmed that the 1,800 room Grand Hyatt will be the first hotel to open. “We could occupy as many rooms as we need, but we want to make sure that with our restaurant capacity that we shepherd that experience and make sure it’s exceptional,” he said.

“As we progress each week we will open more rooms. Rest assured, if you’re concerned about advertising or not seeing reservations online, we know what we are doing. We’re experienced lodging executives. We have a company with a great depth of resources to ensure that we open properly. There will be guests coming here in the very near future. On day one we will be open to the public.”

The new developer is pushing for a full opening in March 2018. Baha Mar also includes a 300-room SLS resort, a 200-room Rosewood Baha Mar property, and the 694-room Melia Nassau Beach, which has been open for three years and operates as an adults-only, all-inclusive.

During his presentation Mr Davis also shot back at critics questioning the new developer’s strategy, and the failed attempt by Mr Izmirlian to open the resort.

“I don’t try to play politics. I am a lodging executive and I do know how to open a hotel,” he said. “When some people say that there are no reservations, and how can it be open, they are not in the business; we are.

“When it comes to the past experiences of not opening and missing your opening dates, anyone who has been in the lodging business knows that you don’t open until the experience and detail is exceptional in every way.

“If that means you open with 10 rooms, you open with 10 rooms. We don’t end up like in the past, disappointing people, ruining people’s vacations and costing millions in lost business. We only have one more chance to get it right. We are going to open in a thoughtful way. We will start with invited guests, which we are full already with, and we will continue as the days progress to open up those reservations beyond.

“We’re not wasting millions in past advertising that never opened the property,” added Mr Davis, expressing confidence in the ‘pent up demand’ for the resort.