Baha Mar 85 percent complete

Fri, Sep 19th 2014, 10:11 AM

The Baha Mar resort is 85 percent complete, with major work picking up pace, Baha Mar Senior Vice President of Administration and External Affairs Robert "Sandy" Sands said yesterday.
"We are going to be working towards previews for December," said Sands at Hole 16 of the resort's Royal Blue Golf Course.
"That in itself should tell you how far advanced we are. We are making significant progress on a daily basis."
Resort officials announced in August that the hotel's opening will be delayed from December 2014 to Spring 2015.
"Our booking engine went live on September 15, so we are now actually taking reservations as of June 1," he said.
"That date can change and be advanced at any time.
"So we are taking real bookings for paid guests at this point in time."
During the tour, Sands pointed to a significant increase in the number of Bahamians who work at the resort.
He said nearly 1,500 Bahamians work at the site in various posts, including construction, the highest number
since work began on the $3.5 billion resort.
"You wouldn't want to see this place in a few months," Sands added.
Speaking of the 18-hole, par-72 Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.
"It's breathtaking and what it also does is it captures the beauty of The Bahamas," he said.
"It also captures the natural environment. It shows the elevation of the golf course and it adds that intensity and challenge to the players once they get to this location.
"This is indeed an iconic location for Baha Mar and we are extremely proud of it."
Sands said there has been significant interest from professional golfing organizations in the course, which will open simultaneously with the resort.
The course is expected to be an attraction in and of itself, he pointed out.

Coexisting

But Sands said Baha Mar is more focused on coexisting with Atlantis.
"We will work to complement each other," he said.
"Together we will continue to raise the profile of The Bahamas.
"Our combined marketing dollars in the market place will also give exposure and equity to The Bahamas brand as well as our individual brand.
"So we have to stop thinking about competition and start thinking about complementarity and the development, holistically, of The Bahamas."
The resort has hired Bahamian artist John Cox as its creative arts director and aims to put local art at the forefront of its design.
Baha Mar's local art alliances include The D'Aguilar Art Foundation, The Dawn Davies Collection and the National Art Gallery of The Bahamas.
The resort's amenities will include a 100,000 square-foot casino, the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, the ESPA at Baha Mar spa and more than a dozen pools.
Other attractions will include 50,000 square feet of high-end retail and shopping, and over 30 restaurants, bars and lounges.
The resort will also include 200,000 square feet of combined state-of-the-art convention facilities, including a 2,000-seat performing arts center and an art gallery with the largest curated collection of Bahamian art; a beachfront sanctuary with native Bahamian flora and fauna, and a private island.

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