Butch Stewart, the founder of Sandals Resort, said that the Sandals Emerald Bay on Great Exuma is suffering from expensive operating costs and insufficient airlift. However, the company is working hard to keep the Bahamas resort open.
“What we have done is put the situation squarely to the government, and asked them to investigate ways in which they can work with us to bring some respite to the impossible economic environment we are facing in the Family Islands,” Stewart said.
“So far, we have been encouraged by the government response, which recognizes the problems as well as the need for government and investors, such as Sandals, to work together to arrive at a model to enable quality sustainable tourism to operate and grow in the Bahamas.”
On September 28, a report in the Nassau Guardian detailed that the resort was in danger of shutting its doors due to high operating costs and lack of air access.
“It is a fact that the hotel is facing severe difficulty in continuing operations at Emerald Bay because of the multitude of high costs associated with operating from the Family Islands of the Bahamas. Some of these costs could never have been anticipated and make the Emerald Bay resort unlike any other we operate,” Sandals said in a statement.
