Swan: Restoring Golf Will Benefit St. Georges
Golf is a major part of the Bermuda Department of Tourism’s marketing campaign and St. George’s will benefit when golf is restored, said former St George’s MP and golf professional Kim Swan.
“The Town of St. George’s has been without a golf course for four years and the absence of this important amenity has been detrimental to the marketability of the east end,” said Mr Swan.
“It is most ironic that there have been as many as three 9 hole golf courses east of the swing bridge: Shore Hills Hotel and Golf Course in Ferry Reach is now home to BIOS, St. George’s Hotel & 9-Hole Golf Course, and The Holiday Inn 9-Hole Golf Course. Two properties were merged to establish the St. George’s Golf Course in 1985.
“The sad irony is that the St. George’s Club timeshare development company paid the architectural fees for the design by the world famous Robert Trent Jones Sr and to produce a quality golf course that today sits abandoned and unplayable,” continued Mr Swan.
“The St. George Club timeshare owners/members and guest purchased into a timeshare experience with golf as an integral part of their vacation experience, must now observe the abandoned course, thus providing a bitter reminder of what was an enjoyable on island activity.
“Recently, we have been hearing that there is interest in St. George’s Golf Course – the former government has been prodded and had given an undertaking to restore the course – we now await an announcement from the OBA Government.”
Mr Swan added, “In my opinion, the government aided restoration of St. George’s Golf Course will be beneficial to the Town of St. George’s and greater Bermuda economy on several fronts including:
- Provide a significant amenity that would enhance the tourism marketing product overseas
- Create an important revenue stream with the potential of growth
- Create jobs
- Assist neighbouring business by attracting people to the east who will spend considerable time and money
“This was a matter which the former government saw the need to re-evaluate their position when the Park Hyatt development failed to materialise.
“We still desperately need a golf course in St. George’s to enhance our tourism product,” concluded Mr Swan.
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blame lies squarely with EWB and his partners
I’m shocked we have 2 elected mp and we didn’t hear much from for st. george and the one we did hear from, we laughed because we didn’t understand a word. thank goodness they’re not ministers.
Gee Kim, like we didn’t know that?
Should have never been closed and the Club house that had been renovated a year before should not have been knocked down.
It was probably all part of Ewart’s pay back plan!
Absolutely and presumably it is all tied up with the repeal of the Park Hyatt Act and it would be good to know the status of that legislation.
The golf course was awful…Let it go Mr Swan…
Exactly; but this is Bermuda where the fact that tourists don’t want to buy the crap for sale on Front Street is somehow the PLP’s fault.
It was aful because the Government didn’t keep it up to standard. Hence it being a PUBLIC course…
@ Pebble beach
For your information this golf course was in better shape than it ever was since it was opened. The staff there had worked so hard to get it that way and were shell-shocked when Ewart closed it.
Please open this golf course. Even if you have to use a tent as the club house until one can be built.
MMMMMMm Plough and make gardens it never made money also work is being done Mr bascombe is clearing all the dead trees out but the smart fella is leaving them all over the place. lololol and you wonder why he does not have a portfolio. leave the Golf Course iea alone they are closing over 150 a year in the USA now and It will be that way for the next few years. Kim get a life Ewart was right to shut it down
Dont we have enough golf courses plaguing are land, cant the tourism industry use something more exciting like a water or amusement park, or maybe even a giant obstacle course. Can someone just be more creative then the same old same old. Look at the Bahamas for example, as a young person Bermy is boring. We cature to old retired tourists
Respectfully, the fact of the matter is that good people, both Bermudians and overseas timeshare purchasers (St. Georges Club) worked diligently to design, then build this golf course. It was an asset of our country, and can be put to good use as a golf course until such time that more/different/ or the same diligent and committed people – financially and otherwise(including our government) come up with something ‘new’ or ‘different’.
As it stands the land is an asset going to waste….and thats not beneficial to anyone.