Proposals Invited For Old Club Med Property
The Ministry of Tourism Development and Transport is seeking proposals to create a hotel development on the 124 acre parcel located at the former Club Med Hotel site in the east end.
Attempts to develop the property have been ongoing for some time, with the most recent plan calling for it be developed by Bazarian International Financial Associates into a Park Hyatt Resort, which was originally supposed to open in 2012.
That plan never came to fruition, and in October 2012 the contract with Mr Bazarian was officially terminated, and the Park Hyatt Hotel Act was repealed, with Government hoping to attract new developers.
The east end property has not been used as a hotel resort for many years. The property was once a Holiday Inn, changed into Lowes, then taken over by Club Med, closed in 1988, and imploded in 2008.
The former Club Med building being imploded in 2008:
The request from the Ministry said, “The Ministry of Tourism Development and Transport is inviting proposals to create a luxury hotel development on the 124 acre parcel located at the former Club Med Hotel site.
“The St. George’s Development Site is intended to provide a high quality tourism development consistent with the historical and natural significance of the area.
“The proposal should complement the St. George’s UNESCO Heritage Site designation while providing economic opportunities for the people of St. George’s and Bermuda.
“Interested parties are requested to collect the Request for Proposal from the Ministry of Tourism Development and Transport, located at 11 North Street in Hamilton.”
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Here we go again…perhaps we will have a hotel by 2020.
You are being very optimistic.
what about successful resorts like Sandals, or Beaches, or brands like Iberostar or Four Seasons? I recall Four seasons had been interested in Coral Beach at one point.
Ever notice that Sandals and Beaches resorts are located in areas where you can actually swim in the ocean for 12 months a year?
They operate in locations where the labor cost is relatively low! Swimming conditions have little to nothing to do with their choices. Their properties are based in the Caribbean, largely Jamaica. Make no mistake, these countries have well defined tourism seasons.
Ever notice many northerners vaction and swim here during the winter? Or at least used too.
Not again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ah but they might want to make the resort ‘exciting’ and too many stuffy old ‘entitled’ Bermudians would complain at every opportunity.
We already have several luxury hotels but recent history has shown that we shouldn’t rely on wealthy clientele solely anymore. We need to appeal more to the newer generations of travellers who dont have the amount of money that was seen in former times. This is a good opportunity to diversify our clientele by having a resort that is more affordable. That’s the perfect location, though the costs associated with doing business in bermuda may be an issue.
That’s funny! We don’t have luxury resorts! Take a trip to Las Vegas or the all inclusives throughout the caribbean! Try Cancun in Mexico or Punta Cana! The worse part is our supposedly luxury hotel Southampton Princess is really only a 3 star but charge as a 5 star at $400 a night!!!!!
No we dont have any luxury resorts, but we do have luxury hotels (Tucker’s Point). We can never have the hotels found in Punta Cana or Vegas. Bermuda just doesn’t havr that party tendency anymore. Which is why a family resort may do well.
Last I checked Tucker’s Point was in receivership.
Vegas is not yhe model==it’s St.Barths
We have tired hotels charging luxury prices!!
You couldn’t be more wrong. Bermuda is a very expensive destination in which to operate a hotel. This isn’t speculation, it’s FACT! We must and can win on delivering a product commensurate with the cost. WE have done it in the past and can do it again. We owned the high end market at one point, but Buffy and Jody have changed. These off springs want luxury but just not wrapped up in pinks and pastels, pomp and pageantry. They want St.Barts….Luxury boutique hotels, Cutting edge dining, fabulous boutiques offering all of the top labels, very cool clubs and docks that cater to their mega yachts. They own this market and do so with a sub standard infrastructure (poor roads top the list) and average beaches at best.
But they are French, which means they are not English (stuffy and boring). Case in point, we still don’t have one beach that allows topless bathing. With miles and miles of beachfront we still only have a few beach restaurants and we shut those bars down at, what midnight. Seriously!.
I disagree. I believe we need to invest back into our tourism product to bring it back up to the quality required to attract wealthy clientele. Bermuda charges 5 star prices for everything, it needs to offer a 5 start experience to our guests.
That precisely. Too expensive for what you get.
our tourism product expensive
17% on top of your food and beverage
for what $10 for a beer
$400+ for a hotel room
Tourism Ministry, Tourism Authority, Tourism board. Is anyone else as confused as I am? How can there be the semblance of a cohesive plan without a clearly established tourism leader?
At least they are trying…..
Yes, there is yet another attempt – problem being is that the OBA are trying to get the PLP “monkey off their back”.
Nonsense–the PLP inherited the Tourism problem from the UBP. Granted they didn’t do enough. That said, why should we believe that the OBA with so many ex UBP politicians will do any better than their father–the UBP?
Yes, you have corrected me… should have read – problem being is that the OBA are trying to get the BIU “monkey off their back”.
“the PLP inherited the Tourism problem from the UBP. Granted they didn’t do enough”
James get a grip…14 years watching the contraction.
@ Verbal Kint, with new Tourism Authority there is a clear leader, however how soon we will be seeing results is anybodys guess. Tourism has been handled like Education for far too long,just like a football kicked all about. And we wait……..
If the tourism authority is the clear leader, then why is the extinct Ministry of Tourism, and not the authority seeking proposals?
Because the Ministry of Tourism isn’t extinct. That’s just something you’ve made up.
I should have said, Department of Tourism, which is clearly printed on the request for proposal above. When I make a mistake by saying, Ministry, instead of Department, I can appreciate being corrected but you have to claim I made it up. Why haven’t you attacked the unending barrage of lies and false propaganda aimed at herb, sick people, Bob Marley and scientific evidence in recent comments (I know you said you do not use) but you jump to the defense of gay rights and to oppose the death penalty?
Because I imagine the reason being is that the land is Government owned and not by TA…
waiting for the next liar,Bermudian/American to come along and rip of Bermudians over this property.
it is a real messed up place..go take a look and see for yourself…it’s a Dumping Ground.
Watch out for the Rats that live there.
what you expect when it has been derelict since 1988, and no building on it since 2008??
I don’t know what the answer is to that property. Holiday Inn tried it when Bermuda was in its heyday. Failed. My guess is that the property is too far from the rest of Bermuda’s attractions.
Loews tried it. Failed.
Club Med, effectively a ship on land, a destination resort which likes remote places to keep guests on the property, tried it. Failed. Maybe it was not remote enough for them. The fuss made by Mr “I will turn Bermuda around in 100 days” David Allen, MP PLP, over topless sunbathing, did not help.
What now? Clean it up. Leave it to go wild till a later generation of Bermuda finds a use for the land? We can’t fill existing hotel beds. Nobody will invest in a remote site when demand is down.
This has to be a joke.
Location location location + casino casino casino ………winner
Ok your turn now Crockwell, no holds barred, offer them anything as long as it don’t look like the Pink Beach wholesale give-it-away proposal….definitely
a location for Casio Royal with nude beach included!
Do agree with the nude beach idea!! That would open open up a huge European interest in coming here, but I would make it a tourist only beach!! Way too many Bermudians would not know how to behave on such a beach!!
This whole hotel idea is outrageous. How about focusing on what they have now and see how they create that into a success. Then MAYBE think about doing something with the property other than creating a new hotel/ resort. This island needs entertainment first to draw in more visitors. Folks who are retired, and living off of pension can barely afford a plane ticket to vacation here. Focus on the younger generation who wants to spend money and have fun at the same time while vacationing here. Paradise will always be here, but these OLD crappy LAWS prevent most things from happening. Hmmm how about the OBA revises our laws first. It’s now the 21st century. Those laws only did good centuries ago.
Forget a hotel, this can be for all the medicinal marijuana once it’s legalized!
Here’s a thought: maybe some try-storming of ideas other than high-end luxury hotels for a change.
How about an international reinsurance or business school where we can not only educate and prepare our own for the business world but attract the best and brightest from other countries to come to Bermuda for a top-notch education.
Dreamer.
…and Bermuda is a place dreams are made of
You all just keep on whistling in the wind.
cba – you hit the nail on the head. I’d love to come every year and bring my grandchildren who in turn may want to come back every year, but unless you are very rich that won’t happen. Nice affordable at St. George’s would be booked year round.
I hope the Ministry of Tourism Development will read your comment.
So there are loads of hotels here not making money because noone is coming to stay in them but SURE let’s build another one because chances are, it will be booked to capacity every night and make tons of money!!
Are you serious?? There is no need for a new hotel, there IS a need to improve customer service and the attitude of the staff working at these establishments. They are down right RUDE on some of my visits. Noone likes that.
Also when locals call these hotels to get a good deal or a “local’s rate” it’s a complete joke. I brought up a webpage, selected some dates and a room and the site gave me a price. When I called this hotel to inquire about the “local’s rate” I was actually quoted a HIGHER price and was told (I KID YOU NOT) “Well maam if you want a better price than that you will have to call *&%#$!^@ Hotel, because they are in receivership and you can get a cheap room there!”
WHAT???
Come on Bermuda, that crap attitude does not make people want to come visit.
Just kill three birds with one stone!! build a hotel casino/brothel/ganja smoking restuarant..LOL
Unreal.