The Tribune

• Alleges property owner objections ‘increasing’

• Island Luck chief among purported signatories

• Mega resort renews ‘idyllic setting’ arguments

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Atlantis yesterday urged planning authorities to “not subject Paradise Island to indiscriminate development” as it unveiled a 100-strong petition opposing the Wendy’s and Marco’s Pizza restaurant project.

Vaughn Roberts, the mega resort’s senior vice-president of government affairs and special projects, in a last-minute intervention hours before last night’s Town Planning Committee consultation on the fast-food proposal again reiterated the argument that it is incompatible with “several luxury development projects” planned by existing Paradise Island investors.

The planning authority last night deferred its decision on whether or not to grant site plan approval to the Wendy’s and Marco’s Pizza project until next week Tuesday, after hearing spirited arguments for and against the development.

The Atlantis letter, dated October 16, 2023, also attached a 100-strong petition - compiled over a four-day period in April 2022 - featuring signatures from persons described as “individual property owners” who were objecting to the conversion of Paradise Island’s former Scotiabank branch into a Wendy’s and Marco’s Pizza destination.

An inspection of the petition revealed that some of the signatories are top-level executives at the resorts leading the campaign against the Town Planning Committee granting site plan approval. They include Audrey Oswell, Atlantis’ president and managing director, plus the resort’s in-house legal counsel, Giselle Pyfrom.

Other notable names are Comfort Suites chief, William Naughton, who appears twice in the petition, and David Kosoy, the Sterling Global principal who is leading redevelopment of the former Hurricane Hole site as Paradise Landing. The latter is another opponent of the proposed Wendy’s and Marco’s Pizza development by the brands’ Bahamian franchisee, Aetos Holdings.

Some of these names are also understood to be Paradise Island residents. Also named as a purported signatory to the petition is Sebastian (Sebas) Bastian, the Island Luck principal and Bahamas’ non-resident ambassador to Central America, although this could not be confirmed before press time last night.

Some 60 comments, not attributed to specific signatories, were attached to the petition with most opposing the fast-food restaurant plan. Concerns were voiced over traffic congestion, insufficient staff and customer parking, plus arguments - already expressed by Atlantis and other resorts - that Wendy’s and Marco’s Pizza are not the right fit for a premium, high-spending tourism destination.

“We do not need more fast food on Paradise Island. It diminishes the beauty of the island and is not the right type of venue for residents of the island or for those who visit. We already have issues with folks crossing the bridge to ‘drag race’ and introducing more cheap, fast food venues will cater to that type of crowd,” one opponent argued.

Another added: “We strongly oppose this project as it will increase traffic at the only entry passage to the Atlantis hotel complex and the Ocean Club Estate. In addition to increased traffic, there might be an increase in crime related to crowds being drawn to the location.

“Paradise Island is supposed to be a touristic and residential area, and there are already enough food offerings in the site. Already the traffic is significant without the newly proposed fast food locations.” The opposition continued, with another unnamed petition signatory commenting: “The availability of fast food for tourism attracts tourists with lower consumption powers.

“This can have an adverse affect on the local economy. Consider as an alternative an up-scale/quality restaurant... Higher fees/service charges = higher income to employees. Availability of better quality in turn attracts better clientele, spending more on the island, which also increases land value. Fast food impacts land value - undesirable locations will not generate the same levels of real property tax or buyer/seller fees for the Government.”

Not all, though, were opposed. A minority backed Aetos Holdings’ plans, with one saying: “Am in favour of this use. If people want affordable choices then we need this. Competition increases choices and selection. A lot of local residents do not go to Atlantis. Outside Atlantis there are limited choices.”

Others agreed, saying “that will be awesome” and that “we absolutely need more alternatives outside Atlantis”. Some, though, were vehement in their rejection, with one writing: “Please, no. A thousand times no. Town Planning should not have Paradise Island in their jurisdiction. There is no wisdom shown in their approval. Paradise Island has the distinction of having its own style; it needs to keep that to draw visitors.”

Mr Roberts and Atlantis, meanwhile, largely repeated arguments they employed during Aetos Holdings’ first bid for planning approvals. That ended in the Planning and Subdivision Appeals Board overturning the initial permission granted by Town Planning on the basis that the latter failed to carry out adequate consultation and ensure a public hearing was held in accordance with lawfully-established processes.

“The number of individual property owners objecting to the proposed development has increased, and they are joined by the large resorts, hotels and other commercial property owners,” Mr Roberts told Charles Zonicle, director of physical planning, in yesterday’s letter.

“The history of Paradise Island is a romantic, idealised destination within The Bahamas. Atlantis has invested substantial sums in branding and marketing campaigns that draw on this rich history. Several luxury development projects (The Ocean Club Four Seasons expansion, Paradise Landing expansion, Paradise Island Yacht Club, Somewhere Else) are planned over the next few years to strengthen the positioning of the destination.

“Large format fast food offerings are incongruent with the positioning of Paradise Island,” the Atlantis executive reiterated. “Atlantis has particular interest in preserving and enhancing the natural, scenic and aesthetic qualities of the Paradise Island community.

“In most instances, covenants and other deeded rights provide us the opportunity to ensure that development on Paradise Island conforms to what exists today and the community’s shared aspirations for the future. The Town Planning Committee should not subject Paradise Island to indiscriminate development.”

Mr Roberts, though, did not mention that Atlantis was approached first by Scotiabank as a potential purchaser of the site. It did not act despite possessing - and knowing of - the fact that the restrictive covenants on that location had long expired, thus passing up the chance to acquire the location itself, reimpose restrictions and then sell it.

Well-placed contacts, speaking on condition of anonymity, also disclosed that Sterling Global, the Hurricane Hole developer and another objector, actually did make an offer to acquire the former bank branch but it did not come close to meeting Scotiabank’s valuation. That valuation is said to have been close to $3m.

Asserting the mega resort’s “strong objection” to the Wendy’s and Marco’s Pizza plans, and urging Town Planning to deny the site plan approval application, Mr Roberts also voiced previous concerns about the potential impact on traffic congestion and alleged lack of parking. The latter has been refuted by Aetos Holdings.

“The project site is in an area with high vehicular congestion. This situation will be exacerbated by large format, fast food operations targeting locals and tourists, which by their nature attract high volumes of people and traffic,” he added.

“We are very concerned that increased pedestrian and vehicular traffic will result in inconvenience and other nuisances for residents, tourists, workers and other persons arriving and departing Paradise Island. A traffic impact study would make this issue very clear....

“The public parking available in that vicinity is insufficient for the existing demands in the area. These large format fast food operations will draw huge volumes of customers who cannot be accommodated in the proposed parking area at the project site or in nearby areas.”