GB hotel delays continue

Thu, Feb 6th 2014, 11:40 AM

Several days after Memories Grand Bahama Resort was expected to open after a two-week delay, guests yesterday continued to be accommodated at the nearby Grand Lucayan resort.
Director General of Tourism David Johnson said that the hotel began allowing people to use its amenities on February 1, the date when Blue Diamond Resorts, its manager/operator expected guests to be able to move in.
A new full opening date of this Saturday, February 8th, is now being targeted for guests to begin being able to stay at the newly-renovated resort.
"Guests are still sleeping next door at the Grand Lucayan but they've made available and operational amenities, three restaurants, beach bars, the pool area and the beach area.
"So today there are hundreds of guests now getting the Memories experience, and beginning Saturday there'll be guests who will be staying at the hotel."
Johnson said that among some of the areas still to be completed are "the balance of the guest rooms", the splash pool and plunge pool; amenities which were "added to what was here before".
"They are in the process of completing those," said Johnson.
His comments suggest it was more than just kitchen equipment which was delayed due to winter storms in the U.S. that led to the initial delay in the opening of the hotel on January 16, as had been suggested by Minister of Grand Bahama, Michael Darville when he announced the delay on January 16.
The January 16, deadline was a delayed opening date from the mid-December opening that had initially been anticipated, and was set to coincide with the launch of direct flights from six Canadian cities by Sunwing, Blue Diamond's travel affiliate.
In a January 19th interview with Guardian Business, Todd Kirlik, director of sales and marketing for Blue Diamond, said that the company had been very detailed in its specifications for the renovation of the former Reef Village hotel and would not "accept delivery" of the property until it had met standards set out.
Pointing to a February 1, opening, he said this looked "to be achieveable" by then. The renovation of the almost-500 room hotel has been done by its owners, Hutchison Whampoa, following an agreement between that company, Sunwing/Blue Diamond, and the government in 2012.
Sources close to the company downplayed suggestions from some Grand Bahama business stakeholders that the delay in the opening of the property was a major "black mark" for the island, saying that such delays are common in the hotel industry.
Meanwhile, Johnson yesterday said that guest feedback among those who had been set to stay at the Memories Resort but have been accommodated at the nearby Grand Lucayan has been positive.
In an earlier interview, Johnson said that a two week delay as was initially anticipated would have resulted in 1,200 guests coming in on the Sunwing flights having to be re-accommodated at the Grand Lucayan.
"They find the island to be very friendly, they feel comfortable, the weather's been great and it's been going very well from my perspective," he said.
"I think the delays have been managed extremely well."
The delay in the opening of the hotel is not, however, the only set back surrounding the resort.
The government's announcement last year that it would have a new casino operator in place which would help to drum up business for the island and give guests at the hotel a world class gambling experience has still yet to be identified.
Johnson said yesterday that the process of selecting the casino operator who will take over from Treasure Bay has been "more or less concluded".
"We expect we will be approving that very shortly and that the government should be able to announce the operator chosen along with a date on which they will begin," said Johnson.
Contacted yesterday for comment Blue Diamond representatives did not respond.

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