ST. JOHN'S, Antigua -- A fire significantly damaged an eight-room
section of Carlisle Bay Hotel here on Oct. 5.
Two of the rooms were gutted and the remaining six suffered from
smoke and water damage.
"We are planning to reconstruct that building in time to open in
early December," said Steve Williams, Carlisle Bay divisions
manager.
The rooms were part of the existing 44 accommodations available
at the resort, which is undergoing a multimillion-dollar expansion
and renovation project.
An additional 60 rooms are slated to be ready by next winter
season, Williams said. A new lobby and an access road to the hotel
also are planned.
The project has met with some opposition from residents who
claim it could harm the environment.
The residents began protesting the expansion because they said
some of the buildings were being built too close to a mangrove
swamp, which could cause flooding and erosion in the area.