Its my uneducated opinion that the hotel was only leverage or a condition in the sales agreement for the port. Its likely that RCCL never wanted the hotel or at best saw it as a long term hold investment as a freebie for when times are more conducive for investment.
If they did anything with it in the next 10 years I suggest it would have been to use as leverage by RCCL against the U.S! those shut downs and threats to move their starting port to Freeport would have had a lot more weight with the hotel in their pocket.

In short if any of this is remotely true it would suggest we get swing then and we get swing now!

I've said it since the hotel closed under the PLP's last reign that no one wants that crumbling 2 star hotel. The Government would have been better spending its money to knock it down and prepare the property to be shown to investors.

Picture reminds me of the Holiday Inn on PI in its last couple of years before being knocked down.

So, after reading the comments above, what should be the best way forward (not political-speak)?????

It should be knocked down, a known development company (not crooks) should be gifted the property and an agreement should be formed between the owner of port Lucaya and the developers to facilitate the creation of Freeports first real estate multi unit since the 70s.
This should be funded partly by the developer and partly by a share option for locals to invest in.
The property should focus on average middle to upper middle class Americans and should consist of some air b and b units, a few small boutique hotels, apartments to own, convention center, shopping village, dining and night life.

Have the whole area gated and provide paid parking for locals. Have the marina included to allow boaters.
All in all allow a real-estate/tourist Mecca that is fun and diverse that Bahamians can invest in and become a part of while also enjoying themselves!

And not a cruise ship in sight!

Well, speak this vision into Cooper's ear

BUT WAIT! The hotel has great potential. Maybe it was a mistake to sell it to Royal Caribbean. Remember when the focus was changed in Nassau from hotel guests to cruise ship passengers. And all inclusive visitors? It destroyed Bay Street. Bay Street went from a linen, jewelry and China Mecca to a T Shirt and souvenir junkyard, from eloquently dressed high value visitors to tourists in bathing suits. Grand Bahama needs a Lucaya. They need depth to their tourism market Other than just cruise ships that are intending to move their operations off shore. A reason to keep the lights on after sunset and to have activities going on after dark and when ships are not in port. And the hotel must have a draw that is exclusive. Casinos are proven not to be that particular magnet at this time. And if Freeport is not rebuilt and revitalized, the cruise will eventually pull out again. Bay Street also needs a new lifeline. That will compliment the Ports ReDevelopment. Some talks are that Bay Street will be realigned with major businesses facing the waterfront, and a broad walk constructed from The Bridge in the East to The Pointe in the West. And Condos, Townhomes and upper class apartments will be added to prevent downtown from dying at 5:00 pm

The next buyer will pay $1,00 and ask for $100 m government loan. The 6 “interested investors” are wishful thinking, simply don’t exist.

Yep they will also ask for tax exemptions, additional land for a golf etc.

Bottom line: Royal Caribbean, Hutchison Whampoa; the very evil and crooked Hubert Minnis; the equally crooked and most devious Dionsio D'Aguilar; the even more crooked Michael Scott; the very dishonourable yellow-fingered Davis; the sleasy and slimey as they come Chester Cooper; and the most dishonourable Ryan Pinder, have all royally screwed the Bahamian people because they are in effect "owned" by Royal Caribbean and the CCP.

The Davis led PLP government has effectively given the port in Freeport and the western end of Paradise Island (including sea-bed) to Royal Caribbean for nothing while letting them walk away from purchasing and fixing up the Lucayan Hotel property. And to think our corrupt political elite have also served up Nassau Harbour on a platter to their corrupt cronies. The stench of all the blatant corruption here that robs the dumbed-down ignorant Bahamian people is nothing short of shocking.

Surely a total fiasco, and to think that we are presently experiencing a historic surge in visitors to our islands. Unfortunately, Freeport is unable to benefit from it. What a total waste…

Cruise ship visitors have very little to contribute to our economy after their pockets have been picked clean by the cruise ship owners and operators. It has been that way for decades now and is the principal reason why most parts of downtown Nassau have been turned into a graveyard.

Meanwhile our corrupt political elite and the cruise line companies have been buying up as much downtown Nassau property as they possibly can, but only at fire sale prices. The game plan is that one day all of downtown Nassau will eventually be owned by a consortium of very greedy cruise line enterprises like Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Disney, etc. and form part of their ruthless, all-inclusive and all-for-them business model with Bahamians being a source of low cost labour for their Nassau empire.

De Uk Colony's out island of Freeport's new minister is now charged with overseeing de sad state of affairs at **de Grand** Lucayan Resort, which is in dire need of a **local catholic priest-exorcists** to move-in to confront de ghost of former tourism minister Dionisio James D'Aguilar's which has been encountered walking de corridors Freeport's grand hotel and everything else like this and that **might spell a new walkaway** from de PopoulacesPurse's **$200+ million** done dumped down de drains de run-down, hurricane damaged shantytown excuse for a government owned and run hotel, ― Yes?

The corruption smeared Pindling adminstration destriyed Freeport decades ago with that Bend or Break speech. It broke.

Bingo!!!!

Why are Minnis, D'Aguilar and Scott still walking around as free men? They each made a small fortune off of their chicanery and shenanigans involving the Lucayan Hotel property that greatly benefitted Royal Caribbean, Hutchison Whampoa and the owners of the Grand Bahama Port Authority. All three of these crooks, Minnis, D'Aguilar and Scott, should now be sharing one prison cell with one slop bucket.