Comments on: St. George’s Club To Close Effective Today

By: wahoo

wahoo — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 20:53:30 +0000

Think Mark was being sarcastic. Carry on in your ignorant bliss though, your government is a failure and you are too naive to see it. Very soon you will know what it really is like to be a victim.

By: MB

MB — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 19:28:38 +0000

@Ronda you read correctly
Do you know why the concept was failing?
Yes of course time share concept is dead…but they were mostly operating as a hotel, however, tourism numbers in Bermuda were not enough to keep it a going concern – and costs too high
Perhaps you can answer this – why is tourism failing in Bermuda, two hours from millions of people in USA and Canada?

By: Eve

Eve — Sun, 02 Feb 2020 15:44:06 +0000

No offense, but “very bright signs ahead for Bermuda Tourism” sounds like BTA “long-term” spin. There are no “signs” the BTA has a plan for this coming season other than increasing the number of cruise ships which only has an adverse affect on air arrival visitors. BTA continues to support local ventures that don’t do much more than keep their family and social circle friends happy and don’t bring in warm bodies to fill the beds.

By: mansplainification

mansplainification — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 23:12:20 +0000

And taxes are up 10% problem is this govt.only has public funding …continue on as we are and we will fail

By: Question

Question — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 22:41:22 +0000

….Unless you’re a civil servant in Bermuda.

By: MB

MB — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 19:58:14 +0000

1: A Brand New Airport NOT OPEN YET
2: New owners at Fairmont Southampton. CLOSING FOR A YEAR
3: A fairly recently and fabulously refurbished Rosewood Tucker’s Point and Rosedon Hotel WELL THEY ARE NOT HELPING BRING TOURIST ARRIVALS UP
4: The Loren, Azura and Bermudiana Beach Resort SEE ABOVE
We have seen Morgan’s a Point fail. We are still waiting on movement at Ariel Sands.PRECISELY
But all in all, their are very bright signs ahead for Bermuda Tourism.REALLY??? There is nothing bright on the horizon. And if David Burt is so smart why has he not fixed things? I know the PLP agenda and priorities but they are not being carried out by our current leader. It’s time for a new one and for new blood.

By: Oh no

Oh no — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 17:12:49 +0000

But do people really want to suffer that much!?! Like really – a lot more people had work while OBA was in. Black, white, asians, Europeans, etc.

Both hands were washing the other at all times. When you look around now – everyone is suffering !

By: wahoo

wahoo — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 16:01:17 +0000

Oh yeah I keep forgetting about that fintec thing. That will be a real shot in the arm for us! Maybe we should rename Good Friday to Good Fintec Day.

By: puzzled

puzzled — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 14:10:22 +0000

Bermudaexit.

By: Tony Brannon

Tony Brannon — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 13:42:39 +0000

It makes perfect sense for the New Hotel to take it over and essentially run the hotel business in St.George… we need to see revival in St. George’s.
But let’s not forget that whilst we have some new investment in Tourism
1: A Brand New Airport
2: New owners at Fairmont Southampton
3: A fairly recently and fabulously refurbished Rosewood Tucker’s Point and Rosedon Hotel
4: The Loren, Azura and Bermudiana Beach Resort
We have seen Morgan’s a Point fail. We are still waiting on movement at Ariel Sands.
But all in all, their are very bright signs ahead for Bermuda Tourism.

What are the headwinds and problems we face?
A failed public education system that only perpetuates the “two Bermuda’s” from one generation to the next.
We have a bloated civil service with much fat (no pun intended) in their ranks.
We have an out of control spiraling healthcare costs.
We have NO Immigration reform and plan to grow the population (we lost 6500) – and most economists say we need 10,000 more people living here or retiring to the island and working in new business in order for Bermuda Inc to be viable.
We hear it in almost mantra-like form about how well Cayman is doing. At one time Cayman copied us, they by-passed us… we better do what they are doing.
Bermuda has so much potential for everyone living here, if only the politicians would open the island up. Having a new Department of Economic Development is only another move in shuffling the deck chairs on the Titanic IF we do not relax Immigration and find ways to attract people to live, invest, work and retire here.

Right now the opposite is true, Bermudians and longterm expat residents are leaving in ever greater numbers due to the cost of living and healthcare, and a general sense that Bermuda has lost its way. Once gone so is their cash and contribution to Bermuda.

Many Bermudian university are staying overseas instead of returning to work in Bermuda.
David Burt may not be the greatest or most successful in his business career, but he is a smart guy, and whilst he and the Finance Minister look after International Business, they need to start looking after us. ALL of US.

By: trufth

trufth — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 13:17:28 +0000

They will get voted back in.
We need another option. The OBA are no longer a real option. There really is no competition for the PLP at this point. Sad really, bc it is shameful what they are doing to our country and the voters who voted for them.

By: Toadinthehole

Toadinthehole — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 12:55:19 +0000

Thank goodness the oba brought in the st regis people!

By: Reality

Reality — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 11:39:40 +0000

There are no guarantees in life! Grow up and get past it! No one is guaranteed a job anywhere!

By: Gerry

Gerry — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 11:19:41 +0000

This is as a result of greed and incompetence on behalf of management (we all know who they are).

Great staff who worked here now have no jobs and to find out this way.

It has potential, so maybe when the golf course is back up and running, it can reopen.

By: MB

MB — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 10:45:15 +0000

It will be staff housing

By: MB

MB — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 10:43:46 +0000

Yes but in the real world they would have changed to concept successfully because a lack or Red tape and the financials made sense
But because tourism is failing and costs too high in Bermuda they just wanted out
Do you for some reason think the Venezuelans will turn this into a hotel that employs actual Bermudians?
They want Achilles Bay is all and golf course

So you keep reading with your rose colored glasses

By: Oh no

Oh no — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 10:34:27 +0000

Lets see if the sheeple are dumb enough to vote them back in when the polls open back up.

By: Gustav

Gustav — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 09:31:57 +0000

sad , but it will not be the last one.
but , Fintech will cover everything

By: Jahni

Jahni — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 02:16:00 +0000

Wow this PLP gomint just messing this island up

By: MB

MB — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 01:16:17 +0000

The upkeep on Bermuda properties is massive
No amount of raising maintenance fees could
keep up with that
Sadly, this will become staff accom for
Venezuelans while The best the government has
for Bermudians is a new govt dept called economic development

By: Warrior

Warrior — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 01:02:09 +0000

Don’t like the fact that staff was not given heads up about this as soon as agreement was reached. Now majority are scrambling for employment and not to mention how the staff felt upon hearing the announcement. Many tears, heartaches and more. Perhaps staff rented apts, making mortgage payments and so on. Hoping they receive great compensation, from longest serving on down with owners getting nothing. I truly feel for the staff and families as well as the restaurant.

By: RastaCutty

RastaCutty — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 00:59:05 +0000

Can you please keep this as a tourism/hotel property and not turn it into staff housing. Staff housing will not benefit St. Georges as there other properties that can do this.

By: Onion Juice

Onion Juice — Sat, 01 Feb 2020 00:19:20 +0000

You are WELCOME!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Eve

Eve — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 22:59:14 +0000

We should assume Hotelco received exemptions and possible funding from the Government. Nice that investment in tourism properties continues but what do these investors know that travelers don’t know about Bermuda? Investment numbers up, visitor numbers down!

By: Boston Whaler Owner

Boston Whaler Owner — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 22:52:17 +0000

I and may others knew it was only a matter of time for this to happen.
It should have been converted to a hotel type property years ago when the writing was on the wall,but people refused to put their reading glasses on.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 22:42:37 +0000

I had a timeshare there and while it was a nice place they ran it into the ground and annual fees kept going up with additional assessment fees added on. Every person I spoke to who has a lease there wanted out of it and some were stuck for life. Lots of changes created this situation, like the cruise ship dock closing, which affected tourism heavily on that side of the island. A shame really but the overall blame is on the management

By: Cow polly

Cow polly — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 21:30:44 +0000

Win-win? Tell that to all the staff who got let go today with no guarantees of future employment.

By: Ronda

Ronda — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 21:02:24 +0000

This story read like one of the conversations I had with my parents…

When I didn’t want them to know I had a really good time out last night…

you know.. you make them believe that you hate going piano lessons.. so they can force you to go..and allow you some free time..

What I read is that their business concept was failing… And they found somebody to buy them out..

win-win

By: wahoo

wahoo — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 20:48:46 +0000

Oh yeah that makes everything better doesn’t it. Maybe every time something bad happens we can just rename a holiday and all will be well.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 20:46:05 +0000

Yup, another very productive day in the HOA.

By: Joe Bloggs

Joe Bloggs — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 20:37:52 +0000

Sad. The wife and I used to enjoy The Margaret Rose Room years ago

By: Mark

Mark — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 20:18:32 +0000

Thank you Onion Juice and loyal followers.

By: sandgrownan

sandgrownan — Fri, 31 Jan 2020 20:06:47 +0000

But hey, we have Mary Prince Day.