NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Deputy Prime Minister Chester said yesterday that five bidders for the purchase of the Grand Lucayan resort have been invited to make presentations to the board of Lucayan Renewal Holdings this Sunday, noting that the government “will not tarry” with its decision.
Cooper said: “We are nearing the end of the process for the sale of the Grand Lucayan resort. We have invited five bidders to present to the Board of Lucayan Renewal Holdings this coming Sunday after which we intend to enter into exclusive negotiations with one of them for the sale and development of the resort.
“We have set a deadline for the conclusion of negotiations. We have a firm date early in April for the agreement and conclusion of discussions. We will not tarry.”
Cooper, the minister with responsibility for Tourism, Aviation and Investments made the comments while addressing the Grand Bahama Business Outlook conference
The minister said that it is anticipated that during the reconstruction phase up to 500 jobs will be created.
“That is why we want to expedite these discussions to the point where we can get shoves in the ground as soon as possible. We anticipate that once the sale closes quickly, a fully redeveloped Grand Lucayan will come on stream by 2024 but some aspects could open before that,” said Cooper.
Still, Cooper noted that in order for Grand Bahama to fully capitalize on a redeveloped Grand Lucayan and other significant projects, it will need a world class airport which makes flying to the island easy and affordable.
“There is no reason it should be cheaper to fly from Fort Lauderdale to Nassau than it is to fly a shorter distance to Grand Bahama. There is no good reason there are so few international direct flights to Grand Bahama,” said Cooper.
He noted that the request for proposal (RFP) for offers to design, build, finance and manage the Grand Bahama international Airport will be launched on March 28.
“We are looking for an investor, a partner who will participate in a PPP to create a world class airport and a stunning entryway into Grand Bahama that the people of Grand Bahama deserve,” said Cooper.
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