Grand Atlantic To Become All-Suite Condo Hotel
[Updated with video/statement/PLP response]
The Grand Atlantic property will be taken over by MacLellan & Associates who plan to turn it into a condo hotel, Minister of Public Works Patricia Gordon-Pamplin announced today [Apr 16].
Speaking at a press conference held this morning, Minister Gordon-Pamplin said that Caribbean-based MacLellan & Associates has entered into an MOU with the Bermuda Government to “upgrade and reposition” the Grand Atlantic development.
According to their website, MacLellan & Associates is a full service, consultancy and appraisals practice, established in 1997, which specializes in the hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors in the Caribbean.
The company has carried out work in Jamaica, Bahamas, Belize, Honduras, Grand Cayman, Dominican Republic, Haiti, BVI, St. Kitts & Nevis, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, and Trinidad & Tobago.
The Minister said the proposal involves the creation of a “condo hotel” which will “make use of existing construction and bring a new all-suite tourism product to Bermuda that is very popular in other jurisdictions.”
“It is anticipated the units at Grand Atlantic will be sold as a combination of investment and vacation homes with condo owners being restricted to 90 days annual occupancy per annum,” the Minister said.
“When owners are not in residence, they can leverage the marketing and management provided by the hotel operator to rent and manage the condo unit as it would any other hotel room.”
The Minister said this will be a “welcome addition to Bermuda’s current hotel inventory, and a completely unique product for our market.”
“The MOU has an exclusivity clause through until late summer which will enable MacLellan & Associates and their local industry partner to finance the acquisition and associated development costs of the Project,” said Minister Gordon-Pamplin. “It is anticipated that the site could be prepared for sale of condo hotel units within the year.”
The Grand Atlantic property was planned by the previous administration as a housing development, with the listed prices for the 78 units ranging from $495,000 – $665,000.
Only one unit sold in the first six months, and late last year the new administration decided to solicit [PDF] requests for information from investors and potential buyers, local and international, for the 78-unit property.
The press conference has just concluded, and we will update with the full statement and video as able.
Update 11.03am: The Minister’s full statement follows below
Good Morning Everyone,
As you may recall, the Hon. Minister Scott delivered a Ministerial Statement in March of last year to announce plans to publish a “request for information” (RFI) inviting persons or entities, both local and international, to submit expressions of interest to purchase or further develop the Grand Atlantic housing complex.
The RFI requested that investors put forward alternative options for the development’s future.
Minister Scott then came back to the House in June to announce that five proposals for the use of the Grand Atlantic property were received by the closing date.
Today, the Government of Bermuda is pleased to announce that the Caribbean based hospitality, tourism and leisure consultancy firm, MacLellan & Associates has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bermuda Government to upgrade and re-position the Grand Atlantic residential development on South Shore, Bermuda.
MacLellan & Associates is a full service, consultancy and appraisals practice, established in 1997, which specializes in the hospitality, tourism and leisure sectors in the Caribbean and Atlantic Islands.
A member of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), MacLellan & Associates is the largest consultancy based in the region, ensuring that the team has an in-depth knowledge of Caribbean countries.
The proposed redevelopment of the Grand Atlantic site will create a condo hotel which will make use of existing construction and bring a new all-suite tourism product to Bermuda that is very popular in other jurisdictions.
It is expected that the project will provide jobs and tourism opportunities for the wider sector of Bermuda.
In the hospitality industry, a condo hotel is defined as a development which is legally a condominium but which is operated as a resort…offering short-term rentals of hotel suites with a Front Desk and resort leisure facilities.
It is anticipated that the units at Grand Atlantic will be sold as a combination of investment and vacation homes, with condo owners being restricted to 90 days annual occupancy per year.
When owners are not in residence, they can leverage the marketing and management provided by the hotel operator to rent and manage the condo unit as it would any other hotel room. This will be a welcome addition to Bermuda’s current hotel inventory and a completely unique product for our market.
The MOU has an exclusivity clause through until late summer which will enable MacLellan & Associates and their local industry partner to finance the acquisition and associated development costs of the Project.
It is anticipated that the site could be prepared for sale of condo hotel units within the year.
Currently MacLellan & Associates are working to finalize the financing arrangements for significant design changes, incorporating resort amenities and identifying a hotel operator that is willing to partner with investors in the opportunity presented by this development for a new tourism product in Bermuda.
I am confident that this project will prove to be financially beneficial to Bermuda as well as one that creates employment and has a positive social impact.
Thank you.
-
Update 11.53am: The Minister said MacLellan & Associates local partner is the “Bermudiana Beach Resort.”
Update 12.11pm: During the press conference the Minister read out a statement from MacLellan & Associates, which follows in full below.
MacLellan & Associates is very pleased to have been chosen to work with the Bermuda Government and the BHC on the redevelopment of the South Shore site we are calling ‘The Bermudiana’.
Currently we are working to finalise the financing arrangements for significant design changes and amenities and continuing our relationship with a hotel operator that is willing to invest in the opportunity presented by this development for a new tourism product in Bermuda.
Our costs for this work will be recovered as the project progresses to completion and I am confident that the proposed business model can work in Bermuda’s unique tourism environment.”
Update 12.43pm: Shadow Tourism Minister Wayne Furbert said the PLP “welcomes the news that the Grand Atlantic will be converted into an all suite condo hotel. This will freshen our tourism product, increase room inventory and offer another choice for visitors to our island.
“We look forward to hearing how many Bermudians will be offered the opportunity to earn employment and key roles in giving this new product and the visitors it attracts, an experience and level of service for which Bermudians have earned global recognition.”
Update 1.18pm: When asked about the residents living there [two families], they said one family has already been transferred to another property, and they are talking with the second family about moving to another property.
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Articles that link to this one:
- Local Companies Named: Grand Atlantic Project | Bernews.com | May 1, 2014
- MOU Extension For Bermudiana Beach Resort | Bernews.com | August 12, 2014
- OBA: “Trying To Turn A Lemon Into Lemonade” | Bernews.com | August 15, 2014
Do they know about the sewage?
don’t be a twit
As far as Press Conferences go – this was pretty useless. The Minister has no answers to any questions.
I’ll get back to you on that… Useless.
Friends and Family !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That’s all of them the OBA government is so full of it it’s a shame …. I can’t wait til there time is up um so sick of the lies … And un answered questions .. Bermuda I don’t know about you but I can’t wait til the next election … Please vote !!!
OBA, how you will differentiate yourself from your predecessors is to actually get some of this done.
wow
I am confused. I was made to understand Grand Atlantic was a disaster waiting to happen…. and these units would eventually fall into the ocean.
So why would MacLellan & Associates spend many millions of dollars on a property that will eventually be ocean bound? What company would provide insurance to these condos, if one big hurricane would decimate the cliff and propel these units into the ocean? How could the Government issue the necessary permits to further develop such a dangerous structure? This doesn’t make sense.
Also, why weren’t similar concerns expressed about the Reefs? They are build on the same system of cliffs.
Only thing I can think of that would make sense for the ‘disaster waiting to happen’ is that the firm purchasing the property would demolish the units closest to the cliff?
I’m not sure if MacLellan will actually purchase the properties. From what it sounds like they will pay for the costs related to updating the properties and then individual investors can purchase them. MacLellan will then partner with the Bermudiana Beach Resort who will be responsible for filling the rooms with tourists in the 275 days that the “owner” is not allowed to be there. The owner will then earn the rental income, less a management fee.
Either that or MacLellan will buy them all outright, and then sell a “time share” to purchasers for 90 days per year, and MacLellan themselves will earn tourist rental income for the other 275 days.
Maybe some can clarify which type of deal this is?
The room will not be left available to rent to tourists for 275 days…they sell the room to another prospective purchaser. This is fundamental to fractional ownership. Have some common sense before commenting.
No. That actually is how timeshares of this nature work.
Lennie, is your comment in reference to mine?
The article was not clear on the arrangements in regards to who owns the property and who earns the tourist rental income. The phrase “fractional ownership” was not mentioned anywhere in the article. I therefore do not think it is unreasonable to ask for clarification.
The whole point of asking for clarification is because I did not find the answer to my question in the article. That is not displaying a lack of common sense.
It is. Doesn’t mean it can’t operate as short term accomodation until the cliff erodes enough to make them unsafe.
Absolutely – I’d hate to have been some poor sucker to have taken a 100%, 30 year mortgage on one of those units. At least with a hotel model if there were to be structural issues, the property can be closed and assessed rather than have to relocate the owner residents.
I do wonder what’s going to happen to the sole owner? Are they going to be fairly compensated? Or will they allow the owner to stay and be part of the “community?”
Hey PLP….looks like you finally did build the first new hotel in Bermuda in 35 years! Ok I’ll give ya that!
Lol!
…..but the OBA said these were not safe for us to buy, let zone to try and make tourists go in them and fall into the bermuda triangle over south shore
The OBA did not say they “weren’t safe”. That’s just another myth thrown around for the blind followers.
As for whether they would have been good investments for buyers, well, history answered that for us didn’t it.
No they didn’t say that…the public expressed those concerns.
Yes, they did. We can continue to play word games and sentence twists, but many within the OBA (including sitting MPs and candidates who were unsuccessful in their bid for Parliament) did express concerns over the safety of Grand Atlantic.
As a voter, I listened to these concerns and believed them. I think it is very disingenuous for them to deny this now.
No they did not. It’s your lot that are playing word games.
When did they deny them?
The concerns are still there. They never went away.
They still have concerns, as expressed at Pat Gordon-Pamplin’s last press conference. It was stated that the government would be upfront about these concerns to any potential investor or purchaser as something to address or alleviate.
I presume that means that MacLellan & Associates will undertake some sort of remedial action if safety is, in fact, threatened, though that isn’t completely clear yet.
Think that was BEST actually and facebookers commenting on a photograph taken from a boat expressing concerns about the cliff errosion and tiny seawall.
“Grease balls are not raw sewage” Trevor Moniz.
“We have 100 buyers lined up” Michael Weeks.
@ Suzie,
You are a weak OBA attack dog, and your an *** too. What weeks got to do with Truth is killin me’s statement?
You , mike hind, and a few others are real wing worms!
First, I have nothing to do with the OBA.
Second, my comment is about Grand Atlantic, which is the subject of this news story. TIKM’s comment is not, it’s about something else.
I can see why you and the PLP sycophants hate it when you’re reminded what incompetents the PLP were. Suck it up.
@ Suzie,
You can say what you like, your comment was stupid, and you are an OBA attack dog (whack job is the better name for you) lol. I wonder if you hear yourself lol
So quoting Mr Weeks is ‘stupid’.
Got it.
I know you want this to be true, but it’s not and you know it.
If you’re going to throw out accusations, back them up.
You can’t though, can you.
You’re just another PLP “attack dog” desperate to attack anyone who dares speak out against your precious party.
Do better. We deserve better than this.
@ mike,
I ain’t got to prove anything, you showed your a** last year mate. Still playing the straight shooter card lmao. Go play your little instrument. lol
Why can’t you show when? Hmmm?
It’s weird that you keep making this accusation, yet never show any sort of proof of it.
Could it be… Oh, I don’t know… That you’re a lying piece of trash?
Oh, yeah. That’s exactly it.
Put up or shut up, coward.
You are right but they are not actually ‘greaseballs’ are they? They have fecal matter inside them.
Do they?
Where’d you read that?
(And before anyone jumps down my throat for “Defending the OBA” or “being ok with swimming in poo”, I’m simply asking where this information came from, because I want to know.
I’m not saying they DON’T have fecal matter in them, I’m saying that I don’t know and would like to learn more.
I hope that clears it up and stops the usual round of personal attacks about who I am as a person, how much time I spend online, what my political affiliation is, accusations of working for the OBA (I don’t), questions of my lineage (I’m Bermudian, born and raised) and all the other weird and out of line nonsense I usually get hit with for asking a simple question.)
You proved who you are already papa lol. You don’t realize you lost that battle last year? Lol coo-coo lmao
Thank you for proving my point.
I ask a simple question, but, instead of a reasonable response, I get some PLP coward throwing around false accusations.
Come out from behind the hood, “Independent”. Show us who you are and you MIGHT gain some credence.
Until then, you are just another craven demagogue, so blinded by party loyalty that the truth no longer matters.
You say I “proved what [I am] already”…
When? When did I prove it. Show us, since you’re so bold as to be throwing around accusations.
Back up your claim. Show us.
You won’t though, will you, you cowardly little rat?
You’ll just continue hiding in the shadows, throwing stones at people that are better than you.
@ Mike,
You must have a short memory, most bloggers know who you are, and what you stand for mate lol. You are the “FAKE STRAIGHT SHOOTER LOL”. You proved your an ass on many ocassions, and you prove your bias regularly, like Suzie Quattro.
You and Suzie should go get married, two Whack A$$ OBA attack Dogs lol
When? Name one time.
Like I said. You won’t. You can’t. Because it’s a lie. One started by cowardly pieces of garbage like you.
Man up and back up your claim or go back under the rock you crawled out of.
Hope it works out. Hope they ‘beautify’ the area, hope they put elevators in.
So… what happened to plans for the hotel next door? Is that still going ahead now? I’ve lost track.
And please say this MOU is going to happen – not another platinum announcement, pleeeaaasseeee!
“The MOU has an exclusivity clause through until late summer which will enable MacLellan & Associates and their local industry partner to finance the acquisition and associated development costs of the Project.”
And why don’t we know WHO the “local industry partner” is…. I smell an inside deal, which is par for the OBA course!
You object to locals being involved in it? Isn’t that anti-Bermudian?
Another foreign buy out, but for the OBA’s “transparency” pledge to be evident full disclosure would be nice
It’s a foreign company helping us fill up some empty useless waste of money condos with tourists.
@ watcher55 – it’s better than having the lots just sit there empty and bring nothing to our economy.
And now that they HAVE done full disclosure?
Is their pledge evident enough for you?
I really hope that MacLellan plan to paint these condos some nice pastel colours! Even having each one a different colour would be preferrable to the “prison cell” grey that they are right now!
I do really hope that they also consider putting in some kind of pedestrian crossing over to the Swizzle, as it’s just a matter of time before there’s an accident on that hill/corner.
And would someone be able to enlighten me as to why the yellow grocery store building opposite the gas station never opened? Surely now would be a good time!!
The new pastel coloured pre-fab homes near Dockyard look quite nice with the new landscaping, IMO… something the Grand Atlantic never completed. They do seem a little small, though.
I am glad the see the OBA are making some lemonade out of those lemons up in Warwick. The plan outlined makes a lot of sense.
The hypocrisy is nothing sort of shocking. All of a sudden they’re not falling into the ocean…
The oba never said they were.
Did I say “The OBA” did? But fact is it was a message they endorsed. And certain members were very explicitly vocal pre election. What is most hilarious is that all of the supporters that were running on about it are dead silent now…
Could it be that they see the present government being up front an open about the potential risks involved so don’t feel a need to call them out on it?
Is that your overly eleborate discription of what people of even average intelligence refer to as “bias”? You explanation is insulting to below average intelligence…
GREAT news. Congrats OBA for making this happen. Clearly OBA are better deal makers than PLP and that, what was it, platinum period?? Mclellan, Pink Beach, Coral Beach, Greens, these are real deals and will all help OUR economy falling off the cliff.
Pathetic how people here are moaning about OBA PLP blah blah blah, and eroding cliffs, sewage etc … get a life, and be thankful people want to spend any money here. One thing I am SURE of is these investors r a lot smarter than you all, and I am sure they have figured out how to deal with the cliffs issue, so dont worry your heads about that.
Leave it to the experts.
But the Greens broke ground on the Waterloo House project and committed to Hamilton Princess and Sonesta purchase before the last election though. Does PLP get credit for that?
There was no brokering of Coral Beach sale by government.
I think many people knew the negativity surrounding the Grand Atlantic would stop post last election.
No shockers here that they’re no longer falling into the ocean…
The Sonesta purchase by the Greens was announced in March 2013. So no, the PLP does not ‘get any credit’ for that.
Read what I said… the Greens COMMITTED to the Sonesta (and Fairmont) purchase(s) before the last election. The March 2013 “annoucement” along would indicate they were lining up ducks for long that 3 months…
They certainly did not COMMIT to anything at all with respect to the Sonesta before the last election. They did not commit to anything until they bought it, in March 2013.
If your point is that they were perhaps thinking about the idea for a few months, well, maybe they were.
But they didn’t buy it until March 2013. So the answer to your original question is No, the PLP does not ‘get any credit’ for that.
Ms Quattro, you are starting to sound foolish at this point. If you wish to believe their committment started with the March 2013 announcement then good on you.
As for giving credit to the PLP for the decisions the Greens made pre elecetion, I agree 100% that would be silly. Just as silly as MB’s comments suggesting the OBA should be credited as he/she has done so above – in blatent error.
You do not seem overly inclined to draw attention to MB’s ridiculous claims though do you?
I suspect the Greens (as locals) business decisions are hardly limited by the dynamics of this island’s petty, small-time local politics.
But you’re the one, Slo Blo, who tried to say the Sonesta purchase predated the last election. Admit you’re wrong.
Actually I said they COMMITTED [for the umpteenth time] to the Sonesta purchase before last election…
By which you mean they did what? Mull it over in their heads?
PS: they can paint them orange, neon green or black for all I care, just please spend money in Bermuda to get out economy going. Again you guys miss the point. This is GREAT news. It’s not there job to build bridges across road to bars.
It is not the job of a single group to do that no, but if we are to show strength of Bermudian collaboration then surely working out a way to enable safe crossing of a road is a good thing? Not just for the tourists staying there, but also for the drivers on our roads. This would also be good for other local businesses, such as the Swizzle and the BBQ joint.
What happens to the one person who already bought a place there?
This had to be their plan all along. These places weren’t fit for ANYBODY to live in before and now they are fit to be sold as part of a ‘condo hotel’?? Sounds like this was the plan all along. Forget about the average Bermudian trying to get a home, take care of big business and make it look like it was the PLP’s fault. Roll on election 2017.
What? Not even close to true.
Who said they weren’t fit to live in?
When?
you are blaming the OBA for the PLP building them….GO SEEK medical help quickly!!!!
I think Evie may be “blaming” the OBA for thier about face on the urgency placed on the danger associated, whilst they were made available to local families, to suddently taking a rational view of the risk as they push to make them available to foreign developers.
Where did the oba express concern for risk in the past that is different from what they currently portray the risk to be?
The risk and/or dangers the OBA DID tie to the development went beyond structural concerns iro the cliff. Their information campaign (coupled with recessionary conditions) did nothing but dissuade would-be investors/buyers on economic grounds aswell. What is most interesting, however, is the silence from OBA supporters now.
Yup.
Exactly!
Blaming the OBA for building them?? Please! They were fine when the PLP built them. That’s why the OBA can turn around and sell them now.
LOL….SMH …….Really???…And than of course we have the defenders saying this is a great move…….
And the attackers spreading misinformation and propaganda and making stuff up and presenting it as fact.
Par for the course.
Yeah, I can see why PLP supporters hate the idea. It makes the PLP look really stupid.
I guess they might feel that way Suzie Q whomever they might be…..
The venom you speak with about the PLP (and its supporters) is suprising for an adult. It almost comes across as if they hurt you badly on a personal level. I’m all for giving this new government a fair shot but, even at my age, I recognize that things on this island are a bit more complicated than OBA = good and PLP = bad for Bermuda…
It’s also surprising that you want the PLP to get credit for things that happened well after the PLP lost the election.
The usual re-writing of history.
What are you talking about re giving PLP credit for things post election??
You seem convinced I am one of those PLP folks that seemingly hurt you so badly…
Time will tell if that equation is true. So far the equation if only half solved. I’m open to a ‘new’ plp starting to re-write that half, but to date there has been nothing to suggest a change.
Nice to see some future income. People come, they spend , shop.
That place ain’t going knowhere soon.
Too much Mr. Hayward and his myths.
Good Workout of a rotten situation Minister. And very good news for the Swizzle.
The absolute height of hypocrisy and ridiculosity must be that insider deals are par for the course with the the OBA….
Anyone who has witnessed the 14 years of the PLP reign of terror was also witness to so many insider deals that accusing the OBA of mastering the process is some convoluted form of flattery !!!
Whites Island, Coco Reef, Berkeley Institute, the Corporation of Hamilton, TCD, the cruise ship terminal, every construction contract of any consequence going to Zane and Dennis….are you seriouly thinking anyone could do a better job of ‘insider deals’ than the PLP ????
At least someone is trying to put ‘heads in beds” and that’s good news! Not sure if I’d want to stay in a 3rd floor walk-up, though.
I believe the loose cliff face could be saved from serious erosion by spraying it with a foot or so of liquid concrete all the way to the top. Just an idea….
The OBA is full of s it!
typo……..plp
The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil….We need to stop selling our as@es and invest in our people!!!Many OBA candidates (and a whole lot of Bermudians)DID raise a lot of concern about the safety of these places…Now that they have made a 180, we see the final decision to sell them to non-Bermudians….We already have Hotels planned for future and current development…………how about Govt fixing them up to make them safe (I.e. Knock down the ones closest to edge and reinforcing the wall properly) and start working with Bermuda College to rent these places to students (at low cost), thus getting our young people ready for the ‘real world’…..WHEN are we going to invest in our students? Student residence would be a huge step for Bermuda….Our smart, intelligent, tech-savy, courageous young people can be our ambassadors….- WAKE UP OBA and stop selling your a@@es- peace
No, they didn’t “make a 180″.
The concerns are still there!
You REALLY need to start actually reading the news stories. This was all explained previously.
I’ve read it bro….and if you can’t see the smoke in mirrors, then there’s no need to reply…did you get my drift? Or are you looking PAST what I wrote…..OBA ARE SELLING THEIR A**e$ for a buck…..Did you read and your OBA friends/family read that? PLP FAILED BERMUDA AND WERE VOTED OUT……OBA ARE FAILING BERMUDA AND WILL BE VOTED OUT!!! The ex-pats do not vote (yet)……..,remember that!!
Huh?
None of this makes a lick of sense to is based in any sort of reality.
Do better.
Mr. Hind: I waited for your call but it never came.
My call about what?
On another thread in another place, you accused me of not answering your questions. I invited you to call me at my office number, but never heard from you. Just didn’t want you to think I would run from your questions.
I decided that, since you did it several times in a row (and it wasn’t an accusation, it was simply an observation), that you weren’t interested in actually having an open, honest conversation, so I figured “Why bother?”
If you can’t have an honest conversation online, why should I think you’re interested in having one over the phone?
Never in my life have I seen a red hind turn yellow ! Quite funny really ! Oh and how he does it is equally amusing .
Yellow?
This from a lying, cowardly piece of garbage who consistently talks trash and lies about people that are better than him?
That’s a laugh. Come out from behind the hood and start telling the truth and MAYBE you can accuse me of being yellow. Until then, you’re just another craven, quivering piece of garbage without the courage to stand up for the things he says.
Crawl back under your rock, coward.
Make the call Mike .
Ridiculous little clown.
Man up. Take off the hood before you start to think you can tell me what to do, you spineless joke.
Lol..no way mike, you aint turning yellow? Lol
Here’s another spineless wonder taking potshots from behind the hood.
You wanna talk yellow?
The two of you are the very definition of it.
Pathetic.
Mike , be encouraged , make the call .
Well, at least now the brave man, “Coffee” has exposed himself for what he is.
Nothing more than a childish, pathetic troll with nothing to add to any real conversation.
He can now be dismissed.
I see the henchmen are out.
Some silly comments above….but some don’t want to accept that the Government is making lemonade out of the PLP lemons! Any dummy would know that the cliff front will have to be maintained frequently to prevent further erosion. This necessity scared away home owners, but seems to be A reasonable solution for vacation rental properties.
C’mon Weekes….you’ve become one of them so quickly…..meaning a spinster….
fools and their money are soon parted…now about this bridge I wanna sell ya…
This will be good for tourism
I still have doubts about the safety of the property, and personally would never buy there. But I’d also never buy there because they’re god awful ugly, the units are small and cheaply outfitted.
However if someone wants to manage the property in this manner, is willing to take responsibility for the circumstances, and will bring money and hopefully jobs to Bermuda, why not.
I so agree. They have forever destroyed a beautiful bit of our coast line with incredibly ugly buildings. They will have to be priced very cheaply to overcome the lack of facilities and god awful ugliness of the whole site.
is the developer going to do any more building on the property
@Evie and Godson – you say “We need to stop selling our as@es and invest in our people!!!’
Hello!? We have to put foreign interests #1 and sell out as$es to survive and invest in our people. How do you not get that? Bermuda has nothing but finance and tourism, tell me one business that could survive without foreign dollars?. We are a dot in the ocean and need foreign investment to survive. Everyone with family homes, small businesses even jobs, relies on foreign tenants, foreign investors, foreing workers. Sp putting them first and see what happens, we got a taste in 08 09 and are still tasting .
Sister/brother MB….do you know how we became a wealthy country????? I can tell you….we invested in our people!!!!! Tourist came here because of our friendliness/culture/serenity …..ourIB were tourist who decided to set up because of the friendly nature(tax breaks)…..EVERYONE WAS AN AMBASSADOR…..we did not have the attitude that these money hungry bunch have today…… GET THIS….IF YOU HAVE HAPPY EMPLOYEES, YOU HAVE A HAPPY BUSINESS…. WE THE PEOPLE WERE THE EMPLOYEES of tourism, which led to IB….. GOT IT YET???? If our people keep being ignored, then we will see MORE anti-social activities(robberies, strikes etc) on the rise….then we can forget IB, tourist or any other outside investment $…. Got it yet?
It’s a shame that the family that had purchased the property in good faith would have to be pushed out and no fault of theirs. I hope that the BHC would take into consideration the inconvenience and stress that this will put upon them to move out at such a short notice.
Hopefully I hope they will be offered a place that is suitable for their needs and not just pushed in any corner.
Sounds like you’re the family.
What I am waiting for is the latest statement of BEST who along with various members of the OBA who were in the lead in the criticism and dire
predictions stating that this former PLP government project is about to fall into the sea?
With this in the background the proposed developer group must have gotten a sweet deal indeed given the risk they have undertaken in the wake of the loud complains and criticism by the now enthusiastic OBA government who apparently is now in full agreement that the former PLP government was correct in developing this housing project.
Care to link to where ANYONE said they were about to fall into the sea?
(And they’d have to get a good deal, considering that this was put out there with all the information and studies etc. You’re misrepresenting the truth again with your last sentence. Please try honesty.)
Well I hope the new management will have a great insurance policy.
“sweet deal” means such.
See above.
Insurnace.
You talk garbage Alvin.
Now back to the BBC.
So whatever happen to affordable housing? What a joke the PLP remains.
There is no such thing as ” Affordable housing” and there never was , that was a political ploy.
Do you think for one minute that a Plumber ; Electrician a Carpenter or a Mason are not going to take a cut in wages so people can have Dream Houses.
Good…let us get on with it….recoup lost money…ours!
You people that think these places will someday fall in the ocean, are dumb as $***!
It would have made more sense for the OBA / UBP to sink two swimming pools on the property and target the expat community . Make a deal with interested exempt companies and have a public private upscale housing facility for the newly arrived .
If they had done that, you would have complained that they’re taking potential renters away from Bermudian home owners and said that they only care about foreigners.
Here we have something that will create jobs for Bermudians and you think catering to expats is the way to go?
Come on.
Paid for out of the Govt. purse, enjoyed by the rich. It befuddles my mind at how, the wealthy don’t pay for much out of their own pockets, but get “Gifts, loans, property etc.” for free
Let’s not forget the original plan for Grand Atlantic. It was to be a 4 star hotel surrounded by low cost housing.
Quite possibly the stupidest idea ever.