Work on the Caribbean’s Largest Resort Gets Under Way
Ground was broken in February on Baha Mar, a 1,000-acre resort-casino at the city of Nassau on New Providence Island. When completed in 2014, it will encompass 3,500 rooms in six hotels and a number of condominium buildings. Grand Hyatt, Rosewood and Morgan hotels will be built simultaneously, along with restaurants and spas. Construction of a water park and golf course will begin in late 2012. Designed by RMJM, the complex also includes a 100,000-sq-ft casino and 200,000-sq-ft convention space. The estimated cost is $3.4 billion.
The project, developed by Baha Mar Ltd., has encountered setbacks. Harrah’s, an early partner, withdrew in 2008 as a result of the worldwide recession. In 2009, China State Construction Engineering Corp. agreed to buy a small stake in the resort. China State then hired its subsidiary, China Construction America Inc. (CCA), to serve as the general contractor and construction manager. China State was granted a larger amount of work after introducing Baha Mar Ltd. to the Export-Import Bank of China, which became the project’s chief financier.