Hotel Corporation Board tours Government
properties
WINDING BAY, Eleuthera---Deputy Prime
Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs the Hon Brent Symonette and
members of the Board of Directors of the Hotel Corporation toured
various Government-owned properties on Friday, September 7 and
Saturday, September 8, on Andros and Eleuthera. The group is
pictured overlooking thousand of acres of land at Winding Bay,
Eleuthera, being sought by potential developers. Far right is Deputy
Prime Minister Symonette, who also has responsibility for the Hotel
Corporation. (BIS Photo/Tim Aylen)
FRESH
CREEK, Andros---Members of the Board of Directors of the Hotel
Corporation toured various Government-owned properties on Friday,
September 7 and Saturday, September 8, on Andros and Eleuthera. The
group is pictured touring the Lighthouse Club and Marina in Fresh
Creek, Andros. From left are Frederick Lightbourn, Anthony Albury,
Carolyn Hanna, Sir Baltron Bethel, chairman; Bishop Simeon Hall,
Michael Scott, deputy chairman; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Foreign Affairs, the Hon Brent Symonette, and Charles Beneby. (BIS
Photo/Tim Aylen)
September 11, 2007
FRESH CREEK,
Andros – Members of the Board of Directors of the Hotel Corporation
of the Bahamas conducted a fact-finding mission in Andros and
Eleuthera September 7-8, 2007, to examine government-owned
properties for potential buyers.
The Board members were accompanied by the Hon. Brent Symonette,
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs with
responsibility for the Hotel Corporation.
On Friday, September 7, they toured the once-thriving Lighthouse
Club and Marina in Fresh Creek, the last property owned by the Hotel
Corporation.
Deputy Prime Minister Symonette said it is not the intention of the
Government to close the hotel.
“It is not an option to close the hotel,” he said. “If you close the
property, it deteriorates very quickly and would be very difficult
to sell it. So it’s better to keep it up and running.”
On Saturday, September 8, the Board toured several development sites
on Eleuthera, including the proposed Re Urgo Hotel at the former
United States Naval Base/Alabaster; the French Leave, Savannah Hill,
the Windermere, Half Sound, Winding Bay, Tarpum Bay, and the Cotton
Bay projects.
The board members are Sir Baltron Bethel, chairman; Michael Scott,
deputy chairman; and directors Carolyn Hanna, Charles Beneby, Lesley
Cover, Bishop Simeon Hall, Myrna Wilson, Anthony Albury, and
Frederick Lightbourn.
It was the first tour for the newly-appointed board, which got a
first hand view of properties, at each proposal to determine the way
forward. The Hotel Corporation is focusing on its two remaining
property assets.
The visit also was to update the Deputy Prime Minister, the Board
and Executives of the Hotel Corporation with the real estate
holdings of the corporation on both islands and to review potential
acquisition and development of thousands of acres of land.
The board is set to meet shortly to review each proposal, formulate
further guidelines to be submitted to the Government. Within 60 days
from the meeting, the potential developer will receive a response
from the Board.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the Lighthouse Club currently
operates at a loss and has been doing so for years. He added that
several attempts were made to sell the hotel to Bahamians,
particularly the hotel union.
The hotel, which is about 20 years old with 20 rooms and a 20-slip
marina, sits on 12 acres of land, surrounded by 4,000 acres and
another 3,000 acres up the creek. It employs 25 people.
Pegged at about $3 million at one point, Sir Baltron said the
property, when considered in its entirety, is a valuable piece of
real estate.
He explained that the property is up for sale in the context of
development, which will accord with the policies of the Government.
“The worth of the property is going to be largely determined by the
use to which it is going to be put and that’s negotiable,” Sir
Baltron said.
He said that the developer has to consider the needs of the
community and how Bahamian interests can also share in the
development.
Management of the Lighthouse Club has been able to create packages
in conjunction with Fast Ferries, Western Air and other businesses
to bring visitors from Nassau and elsewhere.
Average occupancy is about 35 percent, helped by the annual Crab
Fest event that provides a boost to the average occupancy.
Over the years, the Hotel Corporation has sold a number of its
properties, including Wyndham Ambassador Beach Hotel now SuperClub
Breezes; Royal Bahamian to Sandals; and Crystal Palace/Radisson to
Baha Mar.
