Designated Sites: St George’s, Hamilton Princess
The Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission announced that the Minister has accepted their recommendation that two sites be identified as Designated Sites – namely the planned new hotel development in St. George’s and the Hamilton Princess.
The announcement said, “Senator, The Honorable Michael Fahy, JP, Minister of Tourism, Transport, & Municipalities today accepted the recommendation of the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission to make an Order for two Island sites to be identified under the Casino Gaming Act 2014 [The Act] as Designated Sites.
“In accepting the Gaming Commission’s advice, the Minister noted: “This is the start of the process that will allow Bermuda to realize the public policy goals envisioned in The Act, namely increased employment and investment for Bermuda, and an enhanced tourism product.”
“The Act allows for up to three integrated resort casinos on the Island. There is no limit to the number of Designated Sites, with the understanding that a new development needs to contain a hotel, retail, dining, entertainment, recreation, and other facilities, including the casino.
“An existing resort can qualify if it contains all of the above listed amenities, along with 200 hotel rooms. The Commission is currently considering additional applications before them for Designated Site status.
“The two approved applications were submitted by HotelCo Bermuda Holdings Limited and Hamilton Properties Limited. These entities control the site of the new hotel development near St. Catherine’s Point in St. George, and the Hamilton Princess, respectively.
Alan Dunch, Chairman of the Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission noted: “We at the Commission are pleased to mark this milestone in the development of integrated resort casinos in Bermuda.
“I want to applaud both of the applicants, and the Commission staff for working together to advance these two projects to this stage. We see this as an important step in developing this tool of economic development for the people of Bermuda.”
The Bermuda Casino Gaming Commission is comprised of Chairman Alan Dunch, Deputy Chairman Garry Madeiros, and members Judith Hall-Bean, Dennis Tucker, and Derek Ramm.
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Ok now let’s get moving.
5 years down the line.
Alah crown Anchor………..
Thats great news now lets get on with building them!
I hate the thought of beautiful Bermuda now getting in the casino industry. I love coming to your Island and I am worried that it’s going to change the feel of the island. I see here in Pennsylvania but the casino industry has done in my state, New Jersey,New York and Connecticut. It makes me very concerned.
There is no way Hamilton Princess should be a site. There is severe traffic congestion already on Pitts Bay Road and now I will not be able to park or get to my home safely with all the gamblers running around with their cars and bikes!
I vote for a referendum on these so called “gaming sites”. You have perfectly good sites like Elbow Beach and Morgans Point and they are not mentioned? Those sites are off the main road and have plenty of parking so it does not impact our homes on Pitts Bay Road!
Sounds like Alan Dunch and his Commissioners have done a problem deal here! The Green Family has been courting for a gaming license and they do not care about the people living near or commuting through the Pitts Bay Road area!
BEST where are you when the Pitts Bay people (and Bermuda) need you? We should have the blessing of BEST to open these casinos!
And Fahy is a complete failure. Second ministry and still not listening to the people of Bermuda!
Another NIMBY. (Not in my back yard). But guess what? Jobs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jobs for who? More non bermudians?
U’lot that oppose these jobs are a bunch of ignorant bunch of fools! One must go back to go forward
LOL! That’s one of the dumbest things you’ve typed yet Ray. I’d hate to be behind you in traffic. You do realize if you go backward and then forward you haven’t gone any further than if you just stayed where you were don’t you? LMAWO!!!
#raymondraylogic
@bill Stephens, why don’t you give some thought to the fact that if this gaming stuff doesn’t work, your house on Pitts Bay Rd, will be worth next to nothing very soon! I am NOT sorry you may have to inconvienced a little!! I cannot for the life of me understand how simple, some people really are????
Your argument is predicated on them building their casino at Pitts Bay Road, but they do have property on South Shore, but either way this is another step closer toward new investment in our tourism and employment
So the same hotel that got millions of dollars in tax breaks is gonna have a cash cow aka casino? Are they gonna pay back any of the tax breaks?
Tax breaks? You people want jobs and all you do all the time is bitch and moan about tax breaks!!your lucky these hotels want to do set up here..Think of the extra governments can add to there budget with a tax on casinos..Some people are just so hard to please and talk out the wrong hole most times..
You people?
You pepole? Wow….. I guess we are lucky you want to come here and work As well?
oh come on. You lot have used that phrase with me. Spare us the feigned indignance,
You lot?
“You people”
Whatever.
Point is that HP makes millions here every year, lets stop acting like they’re doing us a favor for setting up shop here and making money.
They’re a business! They arent here just giving away stuff and if they leave guess what….
WE GET ANOTHER COMPANY TO PUT ANOTHER HOTEL THERE.
Good luck with that – the world is just lining up wanting to invest in Bermuda. We are an expensive, antiquated product that is damaged. Your attitude is short sighted, inaccurate and part of the problem
Keep Dreaming…. and making stuff up
Does HP make millions yearly?
Can we get another hotel instead of fairmont to set up in bermuda?
2 claims.
None made up.
Well to get those tax breaks they actually had to spend well over $100 million.
You think that’s a bad deal for Bermuda? They deserve a gaming license.
… The hotel who also put well over 100 MILLION dollars into a renovation to become a world class resort. The same hotel whose owners also invest and donate to Bermuda’s economy every year more than you could even imagine.
Hold on.
So because they invest in their own business we need to give them tax breaks and worship them like gods?
Its their business. They didnt invest to make the lives of ordinary bermudians better, they did it to make money. Simply put.
Im going to invest 5000 in my snowball stand, can i get a tax break please? I employ bermudians and im investing in my business.
If they were that rich they should have never needed the tax breaks ” Jake from State Farm” how much have they donated compared to how much they saved in tax breaks? I will wait for a response
You tell me.
They got tax breaks because that is how business works. That money could have been invested at any of their other properties around the globe, so yes they did look/seek incentives to invest it here in Bermuda just as the new hotel in St. Georges and at Morgans Point will be doing/have done. I think you’re correct as they probably did not need the tax breaks at all.
You might want to think about the investment the Greens are making in Bermuda. Business and philanthropic.
Sooooo the greens are not making any money from having a hotel in Bermuda? If the green father did not take over the hotel someone else would have… Stop thinking Bermuda is he country that is begging everyone to come here…
Socialism is great until they run out of other people’s money.
That is the mind set that will put us in that exact position. We have come much closer to it in the last decade.
Do you understand what these ‘tax breaks’ actually are… they are consessions based on the hotel spending the monies they would have spent on taxes, on marketing, local employee development, local entertainment hire…
There are many that are not in favour of Casino Gaming….Just curious as to why a referendum wasn’t held on this…..Does anyone know why this wasn’t put to referendum?….
Because many more are in support of legalizing gaming. All polls agree.
That baffles me. How do we promise a referendum on gaming and than say “na we know whats best we’re going to do it anyway”.
But with the SSM and civil unions we needed a referendum?
Also, why did they chose Hamilton Princess? I dont see how they could possibly manage the extra traffic in such a tight area.
More investment into their own infrastructure and more tax breaks from our government.
Not sure why the “dislikes” I’m asking a legitimate question…
Why do you think? well here you go.
1. A referendum would have been to close to risk it. (Meaning this Gov’t wanted to do what it wanted to do, you know, similar to the Pathways Bill)
2. Farr too much at stake, yea Great that we get new hotels, but at what costs.
3. Potential for the linings of pockets with mucho dinero was not going to be put in the publics hands to decide.
I just hit dislike because everyone else did lol….
Not to your orginal question just this one.
Probably because it would get the same result as the SSM referendum – not enough voters care to get a result. We’ve missed the opportunity with all this dithering and a casino is now expected by tourists not a draw to bring new visitors in
Will we know the names of all submissions? I was sure that Morgan’s Point would have been favourable. Perhaps they were not amongst the bids.
Besides the Pitts Bay Rd site. I believe the Princess will look to the old Sonesta location so stop biaaaaaatchn
Can anyone tell me if the plans for the hotel in St George and Golf Course have gone to planning yet
JMO, but any bar or club that wishes to have machines should be permitted to do so? Why should we be forced to use foreign owned hotels which will reap the profits from local gamblers?
Putting, at least, machines in bars & clubs that wish to have them at the very least keeps local money local & not being exported as profit for foreign hotel companies.
I do agree that it has been a long time coming and that diversity in our tourism product is needed. I can’t say that gaming/gambling what ever you want to call it is the golden bullet, though could certainly help us.
What I don’t agree with is the gaming licenses going to new developments (understand that HP is not new). Though existing properties who have been sticking with Bermuda through thick and then should be able to apply for these licenses.
Here is my reasoning.
Basically we can all agree that it will amount in extra revenue for what ever property gets the license. This new property will be all sparkly and grand and then also have the amenity of casino. Now the existing properties will suffer because tourists will want is new and also a few will want the gaming. So these existing properties will lose revenue and could cease to exist (loss of jobs).
I would recommend that larger existing properties, such as Grotto Bay, maybe Tuckers, or Newstead get these licenses. Having a casino could give them much needed extra revenue to invest in their property to stay current with guests needs. These hotels already existing will hopefully do better because of updated amenities and hotel development will natural happen because of basic supply and demand. So new hotels could take the compression or the overflow from the already existing properties that employee locals already. This way everybody wins in the long run. We keep and grow jobs, we reinvest in current infrastructure and then spur hotel development because our current hotels are doing better. This process is more sustainable and long term than the other, though it seems that government might be more interested in stating they got a new hotel.
Anyway that is just my 2 cents.
Any property is able to apply and still can. This is merely the first step in the process for these two. There will more than likely be others that apply.
So we put the PLP back in and then there is no more debt (right) and they will have so many jobs for BERMUDIANS (right) the ones that want to really work meaning doing a full week and making time etc. The Greens have spent lots of money in there country to help this country to get back on the map and to give BERMUDIANS work. I just don’t understand some people in this country they are never happy or its just because it’s the OBA trying to get this country out of a very large financial slump. Stop complaining and help your country forward PLEASE you to PLP it’s just not about power and greed that’s what got us into trouble before. Stop making people so anger it’s not helping them at all. Everyone is accountable for there own actions.
The fact is that no one on the commission has ever regulated a large casino operation including the so called expert they hired
We need to fast track casinos in Bermuda by outsourcing our regulatory framework and bring in someone who has actually regulated a casino operation
This can be done in a matter of months and help us use Americas cup to capture tax revenue and crate jobs
Time for action and not politics as usual
MP