Tiger Wu doesn’t mince words. As the Vice President of China Construction America Inc- a subsidiary of the largest construction company in China- his focus can be easily summarized: Dec. 31, 2014.
That’s the day Baha Mar, the$2.6 billion colossal project in Nassau, is slated to open its doors.
But there is far more at stake than the promise of thousands of luxury hotel rooms, the 1,000 square-foot casino or the sprawling list of features and attractions. For China, Baha Mar-financed by the Export-Import Bank of China and built by state-owned China State Construction Engineering Corporation-represents perhaps its most significant collaborative venture into the Western hemisphere.
If all goes well, the launch of Baha Mar could more accurately open the doors to the world.
“This project is essential to developing business in the Caribbean and into the U.S.,”Wu toldGuardian Business.”It’s only the beginning. This is part of our growth. We hope with successful completion, it will open up more opportunities in the area.”
Indeed, as the face of the company in The Bahamas, a great political and economic responsibility rests with the Chinese executive’s shoulders.
In a way, the revolution has already begun.
China Construction America has quietly won a series of major public works projects in the U.S., including the$91 million Metro-North Railroad station at Yankee Stadium, work on a ventilation system in Manhattan and, according to Wu, most recently a$10 million road works project in New York.
