Baha Mar executives and the mega-resort’s contractor, China
Construction America, are trying to reach a deal to finish Baha Mar before the
end of the year, but they are unlikely to meet that deadline, a source in the
administration of Bahamas Prime Minister Perry Christie told the Bahamas
Tribune.
The source also told the newspaper that Baha Mar does “not
have the cash to finish the project or pay the contractor.”
The Tribune asked Robert “Sandy” Sands, Baha Mar’s senior
vice president of external and governmental affairs, about a report that said
Christie had negotiated a deal for the Genting Group to purchase 51% of Baha
Mar, and Sands “categorically” denied it.
Last week, Travel Weekly reported that Baha Mar pushed back
its opening for at least another four months.
Baha Mar is slated to include the 1,000-room Baha Mar
Casino & Hotel, the 707-room Grand Hyatt at Baha Mar, the 300-room SLS Lux
at Baha Mar and the 200-room Rosewood at Baha Mar. The project’s fifth hotel
and lone pre-existing property, the Melia Nassau Beach, remains open as it
completes its renovations and conversion to the Melia at Baha Mar early next
year.
A Baha Mar representative declined to respond to a request
for comment from Travel Weekly on Tuesday afternoon, while representatives with
Hyatt and SLS parent SBE Entertainment declined to comment. A Rosewood
representative referred all questions to Baha Mar representatives.