By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

DEMOCRATIC National Alliance leader Branville McCartney yesterday suggested that Baha Mar may not open in May as suggested this week by officials, adding that it would be wiser for the $3.5 billion mega resort at Cable Beach to schedule its opening for "later on during the year".

Mr McCartney said while the opening of Baha Mar is of utmost importance, May is still "very ambitious" and suggested the latter part of 2015 would be more conducive to a full opening.

And, despite Baha Mar's significant economic importance to the country, Mr McCartney said the resort is still not going to be the "saviour" of the Bahamian economy, stressing that the government needs to "start diversifying".

"They say that it ought to open in May," Mr McCartney said. "I think again that's going to be very ambitious on their part. Perhaps later on during the year may be more realistic for a full opening of Baha Mar. But I wish them success. The country cannot afford for Baha Mar to fail. We don't want to see that. We want to see it successful."

The government has long touted Baha Mar's opening as a key component of the country's economic rebound. The resort is expected to create 5,000 jobs.

However, Mr McCartney shot down that notion. "Baha Mar is not going to be the saviour though of our economy as this government keeps alluding to," he said.

"Baha Mar will not be the saviour of this economy. This government needs to start diversifying our economy, start building industries in this country. This government needs to start ensuring that small businesses can do business and rid this country of the red tape of doing business in this country."

On Tuesday night Baha Mar announced that its highly anticipated March 27 opening had been delayed to "early May" due to ongoing construction work. 

That came four days after Robert Sands, Baha Mar's senior vice-president of government and external affairs, said only one hotel, the Baha Mar hotel and casino's core amenities, entertainment and recreation areas would open to guests on March 27.

He also said that public spaces at the mega-resort's three other hotels - SLS LUX, Rosewood, and Grand Hyatt - also would be open on March 27 and that those hotel rooms would "come online shortly after."

Tuesday's announcement however, which marked the second delay after officials initially said it would open in December last year, confirmed what many observers have speculated: that construction at the massive luxury property would not be finished in time for a March opening. 

The reason for this latest delay, Baha Mar said, was due to the performance of the lead contractor, whose work at the property was dubbed by Baha Mar officials as not acceptable and failing to meet Baha Mar's "standards of excellence". Baha Mar said it had relied on statements from its construction manager and lead contractor when it previously announced the March 27 opening date.

"It's concerning," Mr McCartney admitted. "I would like to Baha Mar to be successful. Obviously there seems to be some type of debate between the contractors and the owners, but the contractors are part of the owners I understand. 

"So I really don't know. I would like to see get up off the ground and running. It is a huge undertaking. I know that quite a number of people have been employed there. So I think they need to move with haste to start operating."

This week, more than 100 guests eagerly anticipating the March 27 opening date expressed frustration at the delay and blamed the resort for waiting until the last minute to inform them of its plans. 

Some guests also took exception to them having to learn about the delay "secondhand through Facebook," as opposed to a formal notification from the resort.

However, Mr Sands told The Tribune that the resort would do "everything" they could to "correct their situation." 

Tourism Minister Obie Wilchcombe has said while industry stakeholders are anxious to "wow the world" with the new resort, the high expectations of the property must not be compromised. 

State Minister for Finance Michael Halkitis said the delay would not affect the government's revenue targets, something that had been suggested by the Free National Movement Deputy Leader Peter Turnquest, who said the significance of the Baha Mar delay reflected the need to diversify the economy. 

On Wednesday, the contractor China State Construction America (CCA) Bahamas released a statement saying Baha Mar's criticism was "whoilly inappropriate".

“While the Baha Mar project has presented many challenges, CCA (Bahamas) has responded to those challenges professionally and effectively,” the contractor said.

“The statements by the developer of the Baha Mar project laying blame upon CCA (Bahamas) for its decision to delay the announced opening of this project are wholly inappropriate and inconsistent with the history of this project.”