Government officials led by Prime Minister, the Hon. Philip Davis attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a $350 million expansion planned for the Baha Mar property.

During the ceremony Mr. Davis spoke about the impact the project will have on the economy and revealed that one thousand jobs will be created. He said, “a young person watching this development rise can picture themselves in it as a supervisor, a manager, an engineer, a chef or an entrepreneur with a service to provide. That is the kind of confidence we want our economy create, confidence that hard work will open doors. It is also a reminder that partnership matters.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, the Hon. Chester Cooper also addressed the gathering. He commended Baha Mar for helping to elevate The Bahamas’ tourism brand. “You’ve strengthened our tourism product, created opportunities for Bahamians and reinforced the message that The Bahamas is building for the future. To the owners, investors and management of Baha Mar I congratulate you and I thank you. Thank you for continuing to invest in the dreams, hopes, and potential of The Bahamas and the Bahamian people.”

The project which is located on the site of the former Melia Nassau Beach Hotel will feature 350 rooms and 50 luxury residences. Construction on the project is set to begin on February 12th.

Baha Mar President, Graeme Davis spoke with reporters on the sidelines of the event that was held on the site. He said, “Woselee Construction, here local, will be coming out here and driving sheet piles down into the ground to protect the beach and to protect behind the beach all of the construction that will be happening. So we’ll be starting with a seawall running the entire length of the property that will take quite a few months to do that seawall and then the next phase, which will be this summer, will be the pilings that will go into the ground to support the foundation.”

The project is expected to be complete in 2029.