The Tribune

By Annelia Nixon

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

The Deputy Prime Minister has hailed the “exponential impact” from a newly-opened $12m Paradise Island restaurant investment that is set to create around 200 full-time jobs for Bahamians.

Chester Cooper, also minister for tourism, investments and aviation, said Carnivale Bahamas will generate “spin-off opportunities” and a “boost” to tourism with the Latin fusion restaurant forming one of the central attractions at the redeveloped Hurricane Hole location that has been renamed as Paradise Landing.

“I think if you look at the investment in the project itself, $10m to $12m into the economy of The Bahamas, using Bahamian contractors, perhaps hiring hundreds of workers during the construction phase, now hiring an additional 200, there are also spin-off opportunities and possibilities, not to mention new tax revenues, a general boost to Paradise Island and the tourism product,” Mr Cooper said.

“So I think, overall, the impact will be more than just the numbers that we reference. I think it’s going to be exponential over a period of time.” The venue is the Chicago-themed and based restaurant’s first foreign venture and Carnivale’s co-owner, Bill Marovitz, said it can provide a “learning experience” and training ground for potential Bahamian entrepreneurs.

“We’ll have young people working in the kitchen and they’re gaining experience,” he added. “Some day they may be able to open their own restaurant, they may be able to be a chef at another restaurant. So it’s all a learning experience for people to get an idea of how to run a business like this, a bar, a restaurant, and to welcome people.”

Mr Marovitz praised the co-operation with CGT Contractors and Developers, the Bahamian contractor that built Carnivale since ground was broken for the project in 2023.

“I’m not going to tell you there weren’t issues, Mr Marovitz said. “Of course there are issues. There are always issues. But, you know, if you’re aggressive and you have the right attitude, you work to overcome those issues and nobody gets their way 100 percent of the time. You work to overcome those issues.”

Mr Marovitz said Carnivale is looking to expand to Miami “maybe within a year”. He added that The Bahamas was a great first option because of its out-of-country location due to its proximity to Miami, the environment and “fabulous” people.

Adding to the restaurant’s Bahamian influence, the menu will feature local cuisine. The private room also features a dedication to the late Sir Sidney Poitier and is named after him.

The restaurant opening coincides with the final phase of Hurricane Hole’s redevelopment, which is focusing on the commercial side with retail, offices and restaurants, including Carnivale Bahamas, and a supermarket.

Khaalis Rolle, president of of Sterling Advisory Services, an affiliate of developer Sterling Global Financial, said this was part of the original vision to create “a downtown Paradise Island”. When completed, Paradise Landing will have involved a $250m investment “directly and indirectly”, providing 500 to 600 jobs.

“Once the residential component gets started, obviously we will probably look at about 200 to 250 construction workers. And then, when it’s done, I think it will level off at around 200,” Mr Rolle said, adding that the development will have a “substantial” impact on the Bahamian economy.

“But we see just beyond the numbers. The fact that we are creating a destination on Paradise Island that gives people an alternative to just the enclosed facilities, you know, like Ocean Club, Atlantis. You know, you can just walk in, get your groceries, go to the liquor store,” he added.

“You need to go to the clinic, there’s a clinic. You need to go to the pharmacy, there’s a pharmacy. If you need to go to a wellness centre, there’s a wellness centre. So the economic impact just generally is significant in terms of quality of life and lifestyle, which is the best way I think I can describe it.”

Mr Rolle said that “the only thing left for us to do is the residential”.  He added: “Well, you know, we’re looking forward to doing the next phase, but the next phase will depend on our interaction with government. The next phase, we haven’t pulled the trigger on. We’re still discussing with government some areas of development and then, once we finalise that, then we will pull the trigger on the next phase.

“This is one of the very few developments that has a Bahamas-based developer as well as a Bahamian developer. And we’ve met every commitment we’ve made to the Government on type of investment, level of investment and schedule for delivery.

“So when we said we’re going to break ground, we broke ground. When we said we’re going to have a grand opening, we had our grand opening. So this is a development that the Government can look at and be proud that the developers did exactly what they said they were going to do.”

Mr Marovitz added: “I couldn’t think of a better place for the first Carnivale location outside the United States. The people are fabulous here, the environment is wonderful, the location is terrific. We want people to come in the door and be happy and entertained from the moment they walk in the door to the moment they leave. Great food, great service, great ambiance.”

“This weekend was a great opportunity to introduce the essence of the Carnivale concept to The Bahamas,” said co-owner Jerry Cataldo. “Carnivale Bahamas represents an evolution of our original Chicago location, integrating the best of Bahamian culture and cuisine with the signature color, energy and fun that has made the beloved a beloved institution for nearly two decades. We could not be happier about the turnout of local dignitaries and the public’s reaction to our exciting new location.”

Carnivale Bahamas general manager, William McKechnie, said: “Carnivale Bahamas is not just a dining destination; it’s an immersive experience. Patrons can expect to enjoy everything from flavourful twists on Latin and Bahamian dishes to fresh local seafood, all served in an atmosphere of music, dance and celebration.”