Video: Bermudiana Beach Ribbon Cutting
[Updated] A ribbon cutting ceremony is being held this afternoon [July 17] for the Bermudiana Beach Resort in Warwick.
Last year it was announced that the property — which was originally planned to be the Grand Atlantic housing development – will become a “new mid market boutique resort to to be re-named the Bermudiana Beach Resort.”
Update: The live broadcast has concluded and the 20-minute replay is below
Update 5.56pm: Minister of Public Works Lt/Col David Burch said, “It was soon after the 2017 General Election – August 14th, 2017 to be exact – that I held my first meeting on this proposal and on March 28th, 2018 that I first publically announced the partnership to convert the Grand Atlantic site into a new mid-market boutique hotel to be renamed The Bermudiana Beach Resort. So it’s been a long journey – but certainly well worth it as the negotiations with the world renowned Hilton brand has borne fruit.
”The condominium hotel development will provide the best value for money and is most closely aligned with this Government’s goals of increasing tourist accommodations. The partnership between the Bermuda Housing Corporation, resort specialist Robert MacLellan of MacLellan & Associates, architectural and interior design firm OBMI Bermuda and Bermuda Realty Company Limited involves the conversion of the existing 78 – two and three bedroom condominiums into a full-service condo hotel with resort leisure amenities.
”The property is being redeveloped by a wholly owned subsidiary of the Corporation with expert input from the specialist resort co-developer team, who are providing the design, project management, operations, marketing experience and resources.
”The majority of the condominiums – 71 in number – are being refurbished with new kitchens and bathrooms, additional windows and new floor coverings. The remaining 7 condominiums are being converted into a reception area, bar, restaurant, meeting room, commercial kitchen, spa and operations support areas.
“Elevators are to be installed in 8 of the 9 condominium blocks, with the construction of two swimming pools and the installation of two Hill Hiker trams to provide access to the beach below and add stability to the cliff face.
”The condominiums will be marketed as deeded vacation homes on an outright sale basis to individual owners [available to both local and international purchasers].
“However, owner usage by condominium buyers is restricted to a maximum 90 nights per year, with the balance of nights available for use as hotel inventory under a mandatory rental programme contract, which shares income between individual owners and the resort operating company.
“Almost 50% of the condominiums will be modified to include “lock-off” en-suite bedrooms and thus increase the number of suites and rooms available for hotel accommodations to 111.
”Phase 1 – comprising 70 of the 111 keys will come online in July next year with the remaining 41 units in 2021. The agreement with the Hilton franchise will provide access to their world-wide marketing and reservations systems.
”The proceeds to BHC from this agreement will allow the Corporation to clear the debt on this site and provide funds and resources to better focus on its core mandate of providing housing for the people of Bermuda.
”We are delighted to reach this milestone and I am pleased to report that over 20 local contractors and suppliers have already contributed to the renovation of the show units you will shortly see. As we move forward employment opportunities will increase apace as we accelerate the renovations of the remainder of the property.
”I would like to commend both the teams at the Housing Corporation ably led by General Manager – Major Barrett Dill and Finance Manager Mr. Mark Melo, the Bermuda representatives of Bermudiana Beach Resorts Mr. Colin Campbell of OBMI, Mr. Brian Madeiros of Bermuda Reality and of course industry veteran Mr. Robert MacLellan – all of whom have worked tirelessly to bring this deal to fruition.
”We are confident that the development of this exciting new tourism property in partnership with Hilton will greatly enhance our tourism offerings.”
The PLP sure do love some ribbon cutting.
And you all predicted that it will drop in de ocean.
Guess it would hurt you and your peanut gallery to give credit for getting these places up and going after constant critisizing for years.
Well Right Wingers have a tendecy to do that.
Hey, OJ, why didn’t you buy one of Lt. Col. Burch’s Grand Atlantic condominiums years ago?
Right wing? Christ you’re moron. The most conservative group on this island is the PLP. Let’s get that straight, there’s nothing whatsoever progressive about that particular group of simpletons.
Second, I appeal to the fair mindedness of the audience, I don’t think I ever said it would fall into the ocean, however it was another colossal PLP failure.
Third…ribbon cutting is usually reserved for when something is completed and opened. We’re not there yet.
Given that Burch and BHC are involved, I can see significant public money being spent, and given previous levels of incompetence, not much to show for it.
As if this development is happening because of the PLP…
Ah so the pee el pee and ignorant voters like you then huh?
OJ’s too smart to have bought one at the original price. He saw the writing on the wall and had he bought he would now be in negative equity and unable to sell or afford the mortgage. He still thinks it was a great idea though and a triumph for the PLP. He probably hopes there are 71 mugs out there willing to pay $415,000 for 3 months (winter) use of a 1 bed studio.
OJ – I’ve seen deposits left by pigeons that are brighter than you. You’re the right winger with your blind dumb avoidance of facts. You’d be a poster boy for Trump!!
Did Not see all of your friends and family lining up to buy them OJ? What was it that stopped you from recommending it as a good deal to your friends or family? Hmmmmm. Please do tell.
They’ve been empty since 2011 and now we’re spending more money on them.
This is the PLP’s idea of ‘success’.
The Premier said … One of the most sought after destinations locally… when did that happen? Talk about OTT, nonetheless – hope this works, we need more visitors
dead in the water from the get go.
Luxury accommodation and Hilton? Something don’t smell right here.
That is what I thought, kinda like PLP and transparency. Wish them the best though, we need someone using Doctor’s Folly.
No media questions, mmmm.
I have some –
* McLellan and co tried and failed to finance this while the OBA was in power, what has changed?
* Is development dependent on the condos/fractional selling first? I see that a one bed studio is $415K.
* Has Government given any guarantees to this development?
* what is the relationship with the BHC?
* when will work start on the redevelopment of the site?
We have a ribbon cutting already but doing a search on ‘Bermudiana Beach Resort’ turns up no results other than news articles. How exactly does one get a room at these and what are the rates?
Ribbon cuttings are nice for media, but is the functionality actually there or ??
Lots of ribbon cutting today. PLP on form!
why do they always need the whole cabinet at these things ? don’t they have any of the peoples work to be doing?
Shame that educational standards have to drop. According to the releases the name is Bermudiana Beach, not bermudiana beach which is what the sign says.
Wonder how much this whole project as a whole has cost us the tax payers..
I guess arbitrades gold will fund it.
PR stunt – nothing new.
Yet again Education is getting the shxxtttyyy end of the stick. Oh yeah I forgot it’s ok there isn’t an uproar because this isn’t a billionaire sail boat race.
I wish them well…
Tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree RLMAO
Why is Burch reading something that should have been read by the tourism ministry. All we need to hear from Burch is about W&E nothing else.
Burch shouldn’t even be there.
Arfter a day at the beach and a full lunch at The Swizzle, with all this heat I hope they have elevators
This new tourism development has a significant unfair advantage. They don’t have to pay any occupancy taxes for like 10 years. I don’t know of any other development with that sort of “help”. Sure, help on the cost side….understood. But this is help on the revenue side. Those taxes go straight to the bottom line now.
It will compete with all the hotels on the south shore and all the vacation rentals with the unfair advantage.
Sidebar: What the heck is going on with Barrett Dill’s hair?
The Grand Atlantic was doomed to failure according to Lt. Col. Burch. He said the following:
“Black people are not supposed to have beach access on South Shore Road. That’s the bottom line.
And so you have all of these people railing against housing development that would have provided that access to black people in this country.
The fact that it failed was a direct result of sabotage by certain people and I think that we have refashioned this.”
That is our Minister celebrating at the ribbon cutting.
why do they need new kitchens and bathrooms when the ones installed just a few years ago have never been used?
spending money on new kitchens and bathrooms when the recently installed ones have never been used [ except the one unit sold] seems rather cost-
ineffective to me
Most likely the ones installed were cheap and haven’t taken not being used too well. Seems to confirm another reason these units didn’t sell. Overpriced and built cheaply.
It is the PLP we’re talking about here.
Plp and Hilton, biggest crop of crap I have ever heard!!! And those buildings are garage!!
You can tell by your anger that your UBP aka oba is having a difficult time finding surrogates. Look on the Brightside you still have Jet gate Craig as your LEADER lololololol now that’s bigger than the crap you wrote.
You can tell by your deflection that you are having a difficult time to evidence how Bermuda as a whole had improved since July 2017.
Wasted money
Again