FREEPORT – Former NBA player turned actor Rick Fox went on a fact-finding mission to Grand Bahama in his new role as a tourism and investment ambassador for the country.

The Bahamian-born star was ecstatic about his visit and recalled how his relationship with the island went way back to childhood when his entrepreneur father operated an outlet of his ice factory here. “I’ve had a very fortunate career as an athlete and now it’s time for me to continue to expand,” Mr Fox said.

“This phase in my life now is about being more than just that basketball player. It’s nice to be here as a representative of a continued tradition of our family as businessmen.”

On hand to welcome Mr Fox was Ginger Moxey, vice-president of the Grand Bahama Port Authority, who led the delegation in touring points of interest, including Port Lucaya Marketplace. “We’re thrilled to be able to showcase potential investment opportunities in Grand Bahama. We’ve dialogued in the past but this visit allows us to present a firsthand glimpse of diverse areas available for development,” said Ms Moxey.

A walkthrough of Freeport’s premier shopping mecca highlighted the island’s tourism, real estate and business potential.

Drawing on over two decades in entertainment, Mr Fox was quick to point out possible linkages with the film industry.

He envisioned possibilities for Bahamian screenwriters to have their creative works exposed to a wider audience and for more films to be shot on location in the Bahamas, and Grand Bahama in particular.

“I think there’s an unbelievable potential. I want to shoot films in the Bahamas. That community is a small one that I am in support of growing,” said Mr Fox.

Since the beginning of the year, government officials, GBPA executives and Mr Fox have partnered on joint marketing delegations to key cities in North America.

In January, they presented at the American Lodging and Investment Summit (ALIS) held in Los Angeles, California.

In May, they collaborated once again at the Caribbean Hotel and Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) in Miami, and then at the recent National Association of Black Hotel Owners Operators and Developers (NABHOOD) conference held there in July.

NABHOOD president Andy Ingraham accompanied Mr Fox during his visit to Grand Bahama, and shares similar ideas and vision for development.

“As a fellow Bahamian, it’s very important to us that we create partnerships. It’s important to be able to look and find opportunities that are ripe in the Bahamas and particularly ripe in Freeport. So today, our goal is to look and see what the opportunities are,” he said.

Whilst on island, the visiting group attended youth events in West End as guests of the Minister of Tourism and MP for West End Obie Wilchcombe.

For Mr Fox, the opportunity to interact with the children was fantastic.

“Someone was a beacon of hope for me, so I have to be a beacon of hope for someone else,” he said. “I want them to know I’m human and Bahamian just like them. I’m not this idea of something off in LA or New York somewhere. I’m real and I’m here.”