The developers behind a proposed $500m Long Island development yesterday released artistic renderings of what is being billed as the largest marina harbour in The Bahamas.

Port St George will feature a 100-acre, 640-berth protected harbour as its centrepiece, able to accommodate yachts and vessels up to 100 feet in length.

The developers, who are headed by Star Resort Group, the US-based developer, marketer and vendor of resort-based real estate, said the marina will become the third in The Bahamas to achieve the Blue Flag certification eco-label.

The harbour will offering full marina services including Customs, Immigration, boat cleaning and repair facilities; the ability to remove boats from the water; fuel; supplies and chandlery. The developers added that Port St George’s harbour will be designed to offer enhanced storm protection, enabling vessels to dock year-round.

Surrounding the marina, they said, will be a one-mile waterfront arc featuring a village centre for residents, resort guests and local Bahamians. This is supposed to include 276 luxury condominiums; 82 town houses; five single-family homes and five branded residences; a 50-room five-star hotel including hotel residences; a 40-room inn; culinary school; retail shops and a food market; yacht club; and food and beverage venues

A lighthouse overlooking Exuma Sound will mark the harbour inlet, the developers said, and will include a waterfront bar and restaurant for residents, locals and staff alike.

It is unclear, though, how far the developers have progressed in working through the government approvals process, and whether they have obtained the necessary permits - as well as a Heads of Agreement - to enable them to do what they are pledging. Adrian Gibson, Long Island’s MP, previously said works were due to begin by the 2019 first quarter end, although there is no indication this has happened.

When the Port St George project was unveiled in 2008, it was touted as creating over 300 jobs on a 951.4-acre site in northern Long Island. It featured plans for a boutique hotel with 146 suites/villas; 60 boutique villas; more than 300 residential lots and 331 multi-family lots; and marinas with numerous boat slips; plus golf courses, a town centre and other resort/community amenities.

The project was projected to have an annual economic impact of between $54m to $90m, and at the time the developers had also signed a 25-year management agreement with Langham Hotels International. Some 875 construction workers were forecast to be employed over the build-out phase.

Port St George, though, became a casualty of the 2008-2009 “credit crunch” and subsequent global recession, which dried up all potential sources of funding. In 2014 the original developers, Ian Moorcroft and his business partner, Jon Houghton, were said to be hunting for a joint venture partner to move the proposed $110m development forward.

Nothing was heard subsequently until Star Resort Group issued a press release several months ago detailing its efforts to revive Port St George. Clairfield International, which advertises itself as “mid-market” mergers and acquisitions specialist working on transactions up to 500 million euros in value, was said to have “arranged funding”.