The Nassau Guardian
The sad decline of the Island Palm Resort
FREEPORT, Grand Bahama - It was once regarded as one of the jewels in Freeport’s crown, but today the Island Palm Resort is an eyesore.
From being a top hotel, some say this rundown building is an indicator of the way things are in Grand Bahama.
Today, the place is a hollow wreck. Bedrooms have been broken into and any remaining air conditioning units and fixtures and fittings smashed or stolen. We are told that thieves seeking valuable copper piping are regularly ransacking the place.
There is also evidence of homeless people taking shelter in the building.
The courtyard and swimming pool, once favored by tourists who flocked to the hotel, is now strewn with rubble and rubbish.
How its fortunes have changed.
In the mid 1960s, in the heart of downtown Freeport, there were few accommodation options available except for two motels: The Caravel Inn, located on East Atlantic Drive, and The Freeport Inn, located On the Mall and at the corner of Explorer’s Way, a short drive from the airport.
The Freeport Inn initially had 66 rooms grouped around the only heated pool on the island.
By 1968, it had quickly expanded to 170 rooms, in order to accommodate the growing population of this 'magic city'.
The name was changed to the Island Palm Resort in 1996, and a renovation tried to revive its fortunes. However, the doors were finally closed in October 2011 with the loss of 15 jobs.
In the weeks leading up to the May 2012 general election, the former Free National Movement (FNM) administration purchased the Island Palm resort for $1.9 million to facilitate the expansion of the Rand Memorial Hospital.
However, within weeks of taking power, the victorious Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) government cancelled the project.
Plans were then announced to turn the building into a much-needed shelter for the homeless, but they too were abandoned after the local business community raised concerns.
Today, it is not known what plans are afoot for the Island Palm Resort.
When looking for comment from the Ministry for Grand Bahama, The Freeport News was put through to the office of Permanent Secretary Melvin Seymour, only to be told he was “in a meeting”. No call was returned.
No comments:
Post a Comment