The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A Carnival Corporation executive believes the proposed purchase of the Grand Lucayan resort and redevelopment of Freeport Harbour by a rival cruise line would be “a good thing” for Grand Bahama.

“We think anything that is good for Grand Bahama is good for us,” said David Candib of Carnival Corporation.

“We think the more investments and more things that happen to Grand Bahama and really elevates everything and the experiences, it is good for us. So, we are happy to see anything that is good to Grand Bahama.”

Mr Candib and the Carnival team were in Freeport on Wednesday and held an industry meeting with persons interested in being apart of Carnival’s new $100m cruise port project on Grand Bahama. They met with people in the construction, design, architecture and engineering industries, as well as with those interested in opportunities available to open retail stores and food and beverage operations at the port.

Greg LaRoda, Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce president, was very surprised with the response and turn-out at the event held by Carnival.

“I came to see what the level of interest was here, and I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of persons that showed up,” he told The Tribune.

“I attended the presentation for persons looking to get into the retail business and it was packed,and a lot of interesting questions were asked.”

Mr LaRoda stated the project is an opportunity for people to really get involved and prepare themselves for what is to come with the new cruise port.

He stated that Carnival has promised it will give priority to Grand Bahamians and then the wider Bahamas.

“We in Grand Bahama are first in the door so to speak, and I would really like to see entrepreneurs and business persons take advantage of these opportunities that is here,” Mr LaRoda said.

When asked if he felt optimistic about the proposed project at Grand Lucayan, the Chamber of Commerce president said that while a letter of intent (LOI) is not an actual sale, it is “a step in the right direction.”

Last week, Royal Caribbean International and the ITM Group signed a LOI with government to purchase the Grand Lucayan and redevelop the Freeport Harbour. The project will include a water theme park. It is expected to create 2,000 jobs and some two million cruise passengers are expected to be brought to Grand Bahama annually.

“An LOI signed just means now the government will be talking with Royal Caribbean International/ITM Group exclusively, it is not a sale like most folks mentioned. But I think it is a step in the right direction. You can’t get to the sale if you don’t first have an LOI. And so I think definitely if that project was to come to fruition it would be another real positive investment for the island of Grand Bahama, and I would like to see it come to that,” Mr LaRoda said.

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