By KYLE WALKINE

Tribune Staff Reporter

kwalkine@tribunemedia.net

THE multi-million dollar water park that has been dubbed a “scam” by some may have to be put off until next summer as people have been trying to destroy the park’s reputation before it is even opened, according to the Chairman/CEO Patrick Ferguson. 

The first portion of Adventure World is scheduled to be opened by July 10. However, the park’s CEO believes the rumour mill is scaring potential investors and government officials away and hitting the the park’s potential success. 

“I want to make one thing clear,” Mr Ferguson told The Tribune yesterday. “This is not a scam. This is an opportunity for many young people that cannot afford to venture off to Disney World and other amusement parks to find it right at home, 24/7. Sadly, people are spreading false information in the media that this is all a scam. All that negativity may cause me to push it back to June.”

Last week, Minister of State for Investments Khaalis Rolle said he was concerned that the business might be “preying on poor people”.

“It reeks. Business isn’t conducted in that way. Nobody is trying to give him bad publicity, but there are some basic principles in doing business and those principles have not been met.”

Mr Rolle’s comments came after complaints from job seekers that they were being charged for certain services while in search of employment at the theme park. One of those services was training in Florida at Disney World. 

However, the park’s CEO said the fee, around $300, which was causing the confusion, was not for the training, which Mr Ferguson claims is free. 

“We made it very clear that the training at Disney World is optional,” he said. 

“The cost is for the plane ticket and accommodations. We had to do it as a group because it is expensive. But because of the bad press we’ve been getting we’re stuck at 20 people registered when we’re aiming for around 100. It’s like there are people who are trying to dwindle what we are trying to accomplish.”

Mr Ferguson said the Minister was correct about there being no licence issued for Adventure World as yet, but that there is a good reason for it. 

“We are not building a water park right now,” Mr Ferguson said. “What we are doing right now is opening a portable park that would see food vendors hired as well. With the big rides like what you see at the carnival for example, permits are not issued until the rides are up. So I don’t see how people are expecting to see permits for rides that have not gone up as yet.

“I think Mr Rolle has people around him that are feeding him the wrong information. We haven’t even leased land as yet for the park. When we are ready to open, we will announce where the land is going to be. We have a licence for entertainment. We’re not building a water park.”

“It’s the same thing with us doing advance ticket sales. This happens all around the world where parks are built based off of advanced ticket sales.”

Mr Ferguson said rather than spreading false information about his company, people should put pressure on the government to give some financial backing, as that is their biggest difficulty. 

“The only thing the government needs to do now is issue a cheque for $2m seeing that we’re doing things like cleaning up Englerston and making employment opportunities for hundreds of Bahamians,” he said urging the government to assist with development of the mobile park. 

According to the CEO, Adventure World is in talks with the Mall at Marathon to place several of their rides on the mall’s property.