Expression of Interest for Prospect Reef out in a ‘few weeks’- Premier
That has not materialised; however, the Premier has now said an Expression of Interest for its re-development will go out “within a few weeks”.
“Within a few weeks you are going to see an Expression of Interest come out,” Premier Wheatley told Mr Claude O. Skelton-Cline when he appeared as a guest on Honestly Speaking on ZBVI 780 AM on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.
Hon Wheatley also confirmed that a Board is in place and “they have been meeting.”
“Right now they are reviewing the documentation for Expression of Interest. It will be approved and then it’s going to go out.”
The Premier explained that a Request for Proposal (RFP) would follow. “In 2025 we want to have a selected developer,” Hon Wheatley stated.
‘Prospect Reef has just been a failure’- Shelton-Cline
Meanwhile, Mr Skelton-Cline commented that Prospect Reef, for a myriad of reasons, “has just been a failure and part of it, in my humble opinion, is that government has been involved. I don’t believe government should be involved in that level of development. So, it doesn’t matter who the government is, the government’s primary role is to facilitate development,” Skelton-Cline said.
“And that’s what we are doing, actually... that is the approach we are taking,” Dr Wheatley responded.
The Premier said in 2023 that the Government's vision for Prospect Reef is to have a branded hotel with much-needed conference facilities.
Much prospect for Prospect Reef but…
Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) had previously reported that the Prospect Reef Hotel and Resort was purchased by the VI government for $6 million in 2005.
A $100M deal for its development was announced in 2013 with the United Kingdom-based developer Sir Robert McAlpine Group; however, negotiations fell through.
A $90M deal was then signed in July 2017 with US-based firm The ICA Group to develop the project; however, that deal also fell through.
Along came hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017 which destroyed the property and it has been left in ruins since then.
Many have since called the ruins an eyesore and pointed to the facility as one with potential that the government can redevelop to cater to the VI’s growing tourism industry.
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15 Responses to “Expression of Interest for Prospect Reef out in a ‘few weeks’- Premier”
Fix the schools, build us real hospitals (on sister Islands too), fix roads. I know this seems boring to you, BUT it is your job. If you don't want that job, step aside and let someone else do it please!
There are many more islands that welcome investors and not make it difficult to do business.