Golf Inc - March/April 2009 - (Page 16) business in the Caribbean. Some recent high points for Nicklaus Design are courses that are starting construction on Anguilla and St. Lucia, in the Antilles. At the successful Cap Cana Resort in the Dominican Republic, the first Nicklaus course has been finished and a second is almost done. And there is other new business as well. “We’ve signed some contracts for courses on Nassau and at Freeport in Grand Bahamas. But the clients still have to get zoning,” Kenny said. Christophe Harbour is a go for Fazio Another bright spot is St. Kitts in the Antilles, where a ground-breaking was held in late 2008 for a Tom Fazio golf course, a key amenity for a 2,500-acre resort on the island’s southeast peninsula. The Fazio course is part of Christophe Harbour, the first Caribbean venture of Kiawah Development Partners of South Carolina. According to LeGrand Elebash, COO for the project, it will have 1,400 private homes, a marina with a shopping village and high-end restaurants. The Mandarin Oriental has signed on to build a hotel in 2009. “We are already under firm contract for 31 lots after an initial release of real estate,” Elebash said. “It’s a phenomenal vote of confidence from buyers.” Most potential customers come from the United States and Elebash says they are attracted by the brand identity of South Carolina’s Kiawah Island. “We haven’t even advertised yet,” he said. “They were sold on the strength of Kiawah’s record.” Until recently, the economy of St. Kitts, a former British colony, was largely based on growing sugar for export, but the island’s government decided “to unhitch from sugar and focus on tourism,” Elebash said. Some other proposed resorts have stalled recently, said Cathy Preece of Adams Unlimited, a press representative for the St. Kitts Tourism Authority, including the La Vallee and Kittitian Hill golf clubs. But there are already established hotels, including a 600-room Marriott, near Royal St. Kitts golf course. And a number of airlines have added new service to St. Kitts from London and the United States. Troon Golf also continues to pick up new management clients in the Caribbean, said Jarrad Evans, vice president of development at the company. Among new Troon courses: Costa Blanca outside Santa Domingo, Temenos in Anguilla and the Ocean Club in the Bahamas. “Roco Ki at Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic has also opened recently to tremendous accolades,” said Evans. “And another client, Bahia Beach Resort and Golf Club, a private club, has just opened in Puerto Rico.” On St. Lucia, Choiseul, a proposed golf resort, has experienced financing delays, he said. “But the courses that are on hold I still feel very good about,” Evans said. He predicted a healthy future for the Caribbean. “A number of viable projects are now getting financing. Those relying on real estate alone may have some problems because European banks have pulled out. But you will see an easing on financing in the future.” 16 Golf Inc. March/April 2009 http://wwww.cookandsolis.com http://www.environmentalandturf.com http://www.environmentalandturf.com
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