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Contact:
Earl Bousquet
Tuesday, October 5, 2005 -
Prime Minister Dr. Kenny D. Anthony has welcomed the announcement of the
introduction of “Beaches”, a new line of hotel resorts about to be introduced to
the island by the Sandals Group ahead of the upcoming Cricket World Cup in 2007.
The Prime Minister on Tuesday morning said he welcomed the announcement by
Sandals Resorts International (SRI), especially as it will create additional
employment and enhance the island’s hotel plant ahead of the world’s most
popular international cricket tournament.
SRI, the parent group of the Sandals and Beaches chains, announced last week
that it would construct a new US$80 million hotel on 35 acres of land the
company recently acquired at Pigeon Point.
The new hotel, which was originally carded for Vieux Fort, will be a five-star
property with 300 rooms and luxury suites. It is expected to employ
approximately 250 jobs during the construction phase and some 600 fulltime jobs
when it commences operation.
The Prime Minister said he particularly welcomed the news that in order to start
the construction as soon as possible, SRI had fast-tracked the design and tender
processes for the new resort, which will cater for singles and couples, as well
as for families.
Dr. Anthony said he was also happy that the new hotel “will add to the available
room plant on the island for Cricket World Cup 2007.”
He said SRI’s introduction of the new line of resorts through investment in a
fourth property on the island was “another manifestation of the confidence the
group has in St. Lucia.”
SRI Chairman Gordon “Butch” Stewart said here last week that a major factor
behind his group’s decision to make yet another investment in St. Lucia was “the
enlightened business climate” that has been evolving on the island.
Mr. Stewart said Sandals was proud to be an active player in St. Lucia’s economy
and was enthusiastic about the introduction of its new line of family resorts to
the island.
Speaking of the new resort, the Sandals Chairman said it was intended to
introduce “a new dimension in St. Lucia’s tourism product” and that “nothing
will be spared to make it a showpiece for St. Lucia’s tourism industry.”
The Jamaican entrepreneur said Sandals “will continue to do all in its power to
unlock the island’s tourism potential and bring more prosperity to its
nationals.
The Sandals group has been operating
in St. Lucia for eleven years. With three properties on the island, the group
already employs nearly 2,000 workers and its contribution in direct revenue to
the economy last year stood at $300 million.
The three Sandals properties
(Regency, Halcyon and Grande) already contribute over 800 rooms to the island’s
total hotel stock and the new Beaches will take it over the 1,000 mark.
SRI is the largest operator of
luxury, ultra inclusive resorts in the Caribbean. Its holdings include Sandals
resorts, Beaches Resorts, and Royal Plantation Ocho Rios.
Sandals Resorts has a total of 12 couples-only properties, with seven in
Jamaica, three in St. Lucia, one in Antigua and one in Nassau.
Beaches Resorts, which specialises in
hosting families, has four hotels in Jamaica and Turks & Caicos Islands.
Royal Plantation Ocho Rios is a
one-of-a-kind, stylish and British- colonially-inspired 77-suite hideaway in
Jamaica.
Beaches St. Lucia will be the chain’s
first such hotel in the Eastern Caribbean.
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