The Tribune

Baha Mar's owner and its contractor yesterday said they had received the necessary government approvals to demolish the former Crystal Palace resort and casino this coming Monday.

A statement from Perfect Luck (No 2) Ltd, which is now owned by Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE), and Lenovo Construction, said demolition will begin at 7.30am on Monday, October 1, weather permitting.

Both pledged that they "are employing best safety practices and industry standards" to protect the surrounding area, and ensure the safety of visitors, staff and the general public.

The affected site was fenced off, and access restricted, with effect from today. A 500-foot safety zone will be established around the site, overseen by the authorities. Law enforcement and security officers will be stationed at security check points round-the-clock, while The Bahamas Air Sea Rescue Association (BASRA) will be patrolling the sea.

Both the Melia and SLS resorts were said to be taking measures to ensure there is no impact to their ongoing operation and physical infrastructure.

Winds will be monitored some 24 hours prior to the scheduled demolition, and the authorities will then make the final decision to move forward with the scheduled date or postpone due to weather conditions.

On the morning of the demolition, immediate areas will be temporarily closed for safety considerations. Public access to the area, and to the beach from the Melia to the Rosewood Baha Mar, will be subject to a temporary closure and monitored by law enforcement until an all-clear notice is issued.

Temporary closures also including the main entrance to the Melia Nassau Beach Resort; the ingress and egress from the SLS Baha Mar; internal roads and parking fields located near the Baha Mar Convention Centre; Baha Mar Academy; the Baha Mar pier; Pompey Market; Taxi Stand at Pompey Market; and the Baha Mar beach. At Melia, all outdoor pool areas and beaches will be temporarily closed. All temporary closures will be reopened once the official "all clear" has been given by the local authorities.

There are no anticipated impacts on public infrastructure, including roadways surrounding the Cable Beach area, with the exception of the ingress and egress to and from the Melia and the SLS Baha Mar from approximately 5am until 9.30am on October 1. For the safety of the general public, there will be no public viewing areas established. Access within the safety zone will be restricted to only those with appropriate credentials issued prior to October.

The three towers will be raised in succession, beginning with the Casino Tower and followed by the Marlin Tower and Hibiscus Towers some 90 seconds later. Each demolition will take around seven seconds. During the demolition process, dust will be actively suppressed by ten large machines providing airborne mist that is designed to bond with dust particles and minimise mitigation.

Following the demolition process, dust is expected to plume for a period of 15 to 20 minutes, during which time crews and heavy equipment designated for clean-up will deploy to clear the areas of dust and debris.

Following the induced collapse, the site will be inspected to ensure it is safe for continued demolition activities and public entry into the established safety perimeter.

Following a favourable inspection, the safety perimeter will be fully re-opened to the public and the hard demolition process will begin. This will include the fragmentation and recycling of the remaining concrete on site in conjunction with the mechanical demolition of all low-lying structures.