The Tribune

A Bahamian investor yesterday refuted complaints made to data protection regulators in The Bahamas and US that he has “misrepresented” himself as the owner and/or purchaser of the former Ginn project.

Shane Coakley, managing partner of US-based Coakley International, told Tribune Business he would “never, never do that” in response to accusations by the West End-based project’s current owner which is also on the process of reclaiming management of the Old Bahama Bay property that it also owns.

He hit back after Michael Scott KC, the Bahamian attorney for Lubert Adler-Old Bahama Bay (LRA-OBB) and Resort Holdings, the two entities that hold the 2,000-acre plus Ginn sur mer site, launched a formal complaint with the Bahamas Data Protection Commission about promotional material posted on Coakley International’s website.

“A Bahamian national, one Shane Coakley, who purports to be a promoter and developer of real estate projects, is representing to the public at large through the name of his US company, Coakley International, that he is a developer and/or investor at my client’s property and facilities at Old Bahama Bay,” Mr Scott told Michael Wright, the data protection commissioner, in a February 21, 2025, letter.

“His website, under the name of his company, Coakley International, advertises that in some considerable detail. This is entirely false without the least scintilla of truth in any way whatsoever.” Mr Scott asserted that Mr Coakley had not replied to his earlier February 12, 2025, letter demanding that the offending material be removed from the website.

Coakley International’s website yesterday described the former Ginn development as a “current project” with the relevant page featuring numerous photos. However, Mr Scott informed Mr Wright that “the continuing operation of the website uncorrected constitutes materially false advertising and is subject to the appropriate investigation and action by your office.

“In the circumstances I should be grateful if you would investigate this pursuant to section 12 of the Data Protection Act with the view to such remedial action as you deem appropriate in the circumstances.” And, in his previous letter to Mr Coakley, the attorney for LRA-OBB also warned he will file a similar complaint on his client’s behalf with the Data Protection Commission’s US regulator in the US.

“Our clients, having owned and occupying the property for nearly 20 years, and having administered the Sur Mer project, are unaware of any legitimate legal interest you or your company possess, nor are they aware of any role you have played, or would play, as a developer, operator or investor in the property or future projects,” Mr Scott told Mr Coakley.

Describing any claim to the contrary as “illegitimate with no foundation in fact or reality whatsoever”, he added: “In the circumstances, your website under the name Coakley International LLC is materially false and misleading in that it represents to the public the existence of a project in which you’re involved through your company in some capacity, undoubtedly as a promoter, which is patently false....

“Lastly, my clients are aware of your outreach to financiers, brokers, marketing agencies and others in the hospitality and real estate industry in which you have purported to be an owner of the subject property or having it under valid contract for purchase, and claiming to have received guarantees by an elected official of the Government of The Bahamas who you claim to be family by marriage.”

Mr Scott, asserting that such claims “may damage our clients”, demanded that Mr Coakley cease and desist. However, the latter denied to Tribune Business ever representing himself or his company as LRA-OBB and Resorts Holding are alleging, and added: “I never told anyone I was under contract. The Government was selling it [the Ginn project]. It can’t be under contract.”

Mr Coakley also countered by alleging that his problems with LRA-OBB, which is controlled by the investment bank, Lubert Adler, and Florida-based Kingwood International Resort, began when he submitted a bid to acquire the Ginn project’s real estate after it was advertised for sale by the Government in an attempt to recover $26m in unpaid real property tax.

The sale never occurred, after LRA-OBB and Resorts Holdings disputed both the appraised value of the West End real estate and the amount of real property tax owed, although well-placed sources have suggested that the Government may soon seek to advertise it for sale again once the necessary corrections have been made.

“When it went up to bid, I raised the money, I got the money and they’ve been attacking me ever since,” Mr Coakley told this newspaper. “They’ve tried to block me from coming on to their property. It’s just been a fight with these guys.

“I don’t want to give up. I’m a Bahamian. I want to develop. We have been in this fight, we had [hotel] flags interested to come in. They are upset we got the money but it was open to public bidding. I didn’t do anything wrong. I want to see jobs for Bahamians, I want to see this happen. It’s a great project. That project will change that whole island; it will change that whole island.

“We’re committed to The Bahamas. I’m not giving up. I’m a Bahamian. I’m going to fight with every breath in my lungs to have that project develop.” Sources familiar with the former Ginn project and West End Grand Bahama yesterday confirmed they were aware of Mr Coakley’s interest in acquiring the development but voiced doubts about his ability to obtain the necessary financing.

The ongoing battle between LRA-OBB and Mr Coakley is yet another controversy to embroil the former Ginn project. Tribune Business revealed yesterday how a group of Old Bahama Bay condo owners are resisting moves to replace them as the management company for the property.

John MacDonald, president of Island Ventures Resort and Club (IVRC), the entity formed by the 73 condo owners to keep the hotel open following Ginn’s 2011 default, urged Old Bahama Bay’s owner/management company not to proceed with its planned takeover today as it “will not be vacating said premises”.

And, warning that IVRC would involve the police and launch Supreme Court legal action, he accused LRA-OBB of inflicting “emotional distress” on 100 staff, vendors and the condo owners due to the uncertainty created by its ambitions to take back management control from IVRC.

However, Michael Scott KC, LRA-OBB’s attorney, in a March 26, 2025, letter to Lennox Paton, legal representatives for IVRC, countered that the latter’s failure to smoothly handover Old Bahama Bay and its amenities - despite being given more than the required four weeks’ notice that its licence was to be terminated by March 28, 2025 - is responsible for the “chaos and discord” now occurring.

Pointing out that IVRC had been granted a ‘bare licence’, and not a lease, to operate Old Bahama Bay, its marinas, restaurants and other facilities, he demanded that it “fulfill their legal employer obligations” and accused it of owing almost $600,000 in unpaid VAT, real property tax and marina dockage fees.

Orlando-based Kingwood, which has previously attempted to acquire Old Bahama Bay and the former Ginn development in Grand Bahama’s West End, has been lined up to take over the property’s management and operations according to promotional material seen by Tribune Business.

Describing Kingwood as “a proven leader in hospitality”, the brochure sent to all Old Bahama Bay condo owners confirms: “Old Bahama Bay Resorts & Yacht Harbour Rental Management is the official on-site management company for villas located within Old Bahama Bay Resort and Yacht Harbour, managed by Kingwood International.”