The head of the $300 million Four Seasons Emerald Bay Resort yesterday said he had warned the government that the Bahamas Electricity Corporation (BEC) could “shut this whole deal down” unless it could provide the reliable power supply necessary to operate the five-star resort, which the management company is billing as its premiere resort in the world.
Kevin Clemente, the Emerald Bay resort’s president and chief executive, told The Tribune in an exclusive interview that he had little confidence and “some real concerns” about BEC’s ability to provide an uninterrupted power supply to the development.
He said the resort had to open by November 1, which was the date the developers, construction company and Four Seasons, as the management company had committed to, as Emerald Bay was fully booked through the 2003 Christmas season and was now not taking new bookings until after January 4, 2004.
Mr. Clemente said the that the customers that would be attracted to Emerald Bay would “not be accustomed to the power going off three times a day or the air conditioning going off at three in the morning”.
The Tribune also understands that telecommunications is another area that could pose problems for Emerald Bay in its rush to open, with construction work at the site scheduled to be finished by September 12.
Bandwidth capacity between Exuma and New Providence is said by some to be insufficient to meet Emerald Bay’s telephone and Internet needs.
Source: Neil Hartnell, The Tribune
