Having worked for former Atlantis Paradise Island owner Kerzner International from 1994 until 2006, Howard Karawan returned to the Bahamas property in September to take over as the resort's president. As Atlantis girds itself against competition from Baha Mar, which opened its first phase in April, Karawan will oversee an extensive renovation and upgrade plan that will include spending as much as $90 million on improvements to the 3,400-room property this year. Hotels editor Danny King spoke with Karawan last month.
Q: How does it feel to be back?
Howard Karawan
A: Outstanding. There's a lot to get your arms around, but I'm very pleased with what we've implemented so far.
Q: Earlier this year, you announced upgrades for the Coral Towers and the Beach Tower. How has that gone?
A: With the Coral Towers redo, we're opening up the [new] lobby, a new restaurant and offering homemade ice cream in the lobby. All the rooms will be redone this year. It just gives more to families who are coming here and expands into the extended-family market, not just parents with kids.
The Beach Tower will also go through a complete renovation beginning in September. We won't close it, we'll renovate it three floors at a time. That will be our entry-price-level product. Rates will be $200 to $300 a night, including all outdoor activities. There will be a family dining plan for $150 a day for four people. So it's a very inexpensive way to participate in everything Atlantis has to offer.
Q: What about the Royal Towers?
A: Design work is still being done. The tower will target the very active convention and casino customers. It's still the heart and soul of Atlantis. There will be an active, nightclub-style pool right in the middle, and it's scheduled for next year.
Q: You also have plans for Marina Village, correct?
A: Construction ends in November. There will be a new tap room serving craft beer, a fish-fry restaurant and a new conch-salad stand. There will be an art walk every other Saturday, and Junkanoo [a celebratory event that references the Bahamas' annual street parade] each Wednesday and Thursday.
Q: Has Baha Mar's opening hurt business?
A: It hasn't impacted our business at all. They don't have the outdoor bells and whistles that cater to families like we do. For 20-odd years, we've appealed to families and couples and singles and partygoers, and we've done that quite well. But they definitely have a great Asian-style casino product, and [its] Grand Hyatt is as good a hotel as exists anywhere in Macao.
Q: Atlantis seems to be making a clear effort to add more authentic Bahamas culture to the resort. Is this a response to Baha Mar?
A: I can't say it's a reaction; that's just where we knew Atlantis needed to go. We always knew Atlantis was in the Bahamas, but we kind of forgot Bahamas was in Atlantis.
I spent five years with Hyatt in Hawaii, and the goal was: "How do we embrace Hawaiian culture?" People want that international flavor, not just a couple of pieces of art on the wall. They want music and culture and environment. To me, that's global tourism.
Q: Baha Mar President Graeme Davis has talked about trying to work with carriers to boost airlift into the Bahamas. Are you doing the same?
A: I'm the chairman of the Nassau Promotion Board, and we've already had some of the major airlines committing to expand airlift. I think we'll see increased airlift out of our feeder markets, as we'll look into Texas -- Houston and Dallas -- and cities like Chicago. Los Angeles is one of the largest feeder markets into Atlantis. [Other airlines] have come out and said they wanted to bring airlift out of China -- Asia direct. That'd be outstanding.
Corrections: The family dining plan available at the Beach Tower will be $150 per day for a family of four, not including taxes and gratuities. Also, construction on Marina Village is scheduled to be complete in November. Incorrect information appeared in an earlier version of this article.