By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Grand Bahama will be presented with six different design options for its new $200m airport, the winning bidder has revealed, with an announcement on the expected construction start expected "very shortly".

Anthony Myers, Bahamas Hot Mix's (BHM) chairman, and a member of the all-Bahamian Aerodrome Ltd group, told Tribune Business that Pascall + Watson, a firm of architects that has a track record in airport design, has been hired to develop several concepts for a transformed Grand Bahama International Airport.

"We're expediting it as quickly as possible," he confirmed. "We have Manchester Airport Group already fully engaged and giving significant input along with the architectural team at Pascall + Watson. They're the foremost leading airport design firm in the world; they've done Dubai airport, done airports all over the world.

"They've already introduced concept designs and concept planning. We have six different scenarios we will take to a [planning] charrette with the Government of The Bahamas for the people of Grand Bahama to look at. They'll have a variety of very innovative designs based on Bahamian architectural typography."

Mr Myers, together with CFAL president, Anthony Ferguson, is a member of the Bahamian investor group that will spearhead what has been billed as a complete overhaul of Grand Bahama International Airport. They are joined in Aerodrome Ltd by two fellow Bahamians - Anthony Farrington, an engineer; and Greg Stuart, a businessman.

Asked when a ground-breaking will occur, and construction begin on the new airport, Mr Myers replied: "I certainly don't want to pre-empt what the Prime Minister will say, but it's very soon. Look out for an announcement very shortly."

Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and also minister of tourism, investments and aviation, in confirming the airport deal in mid-March had suggest that work would begin in earnest in April via the "demolition of the old international terminal and storage building". He added that Aerodrome Ltd and its partners aim to ultimately transform Grand Bahama International Airport into an international “air cargo hub” for the Caribbean and Latin America.

Describing the air cargo plans as "a very big part of the overall design", Mr Myers said this and the enhanced passenger facilities will be "simultaneously developed together". He added that the consortium's vision, with Manchester Airport Group as the operating partner, was to develop "a climate resilient international hub with major linkages globally.

"You'll see direct flights from London and various other cities in the UK," he added. "You'll see a significant increase in air traffic, and see a significant increase in jobs and revenue for Grand Bahama." Aerodrome Ltd has also hired an accounting firm to assess its project's likely economic impact and present this data to the Government.

Acknowledging the airport's importance to facilitating other multi-million dollar projects on Grand Bahama, Mr Myers said: "It is a key. There's huge investments going on right now between the Weller Group, Carnival, the Grand Bahama Shipyard and expansion of the cruise ship berths. There's five to six significant projects equal in importance to the airport. It's a fantastic opportunity for Grand Bahama and it definitely needs that gateway to support these projects."

Jesse McDougall, North America and Caribbean head for UK Export Finance, the UK government arm being eyed as the major financier for the Grand Bahama International Airport overhaul, explained that its funding will also support participation by Bahamian companies and employees as well as their British counterparts.

Taking a $100m infrastructure project as an example, she added that UK Export Finance could "scale up" to provide up to $85m of the necessary funding even if British participation was just $20m. Describing The Bahamas as "a core focus" and "one of my priority locations", Ms McDougall added: "I came back from The Bahamas last week, meeting with a lot of the ministries there. There's a great infrastructure need there and in the Caribbean, and an appetite to get things done."

Mr Cooper, in unveiling the airport deal, said acknowledged that upgrading the facility, which was left in a state of disrepair following the devastation inflicted by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, is “a key factor” in facilitating both Grand Bahama’s economic rebound and the Grand Lucayan’s sale.

He added that the Government signed the agreement with Aerodrome Ltd, and its partners, in February 2023 for the airport’s redevelopment via a public-private partnership (PPP) that will see the consortium design, build, finance, upgrade and maintain a new main aviation gateway for Grand Bahama.

The consortium’s role, Mr Cooper said, will be to “generate [aviation and passenger] traffic, and to grow revenues and further enhance Grand Bahama International Airport”. He added: “Their mission is to transform Grand Bahama International Airport into a carbon neutral, climate resilient, commercially viable world-class airport.

“Subject to final design, this is expected to be an investment of $200m in that range, and this investment will begin its preliminary work this quarter, this month; March. The airport will consist of two phases which are expected to generate 1,200 construction jobs consistently over the next five years.

“Ninety percent of these jobs will be reserved for Bahamians, and work permits will only be granted where Bahamians cannot be found in accordance with our Immigration laws and policies. During the construction of phase one of the new Grand Bahama International Airport, which we expect to be completed no later than the first quarter of 2025, 300 construction jobs will be created along with 50 engineering, management and accounting jobs.”

While Aerodrome, the Bahamian investor group, will lead the project’s financing and management under a contract with Airport Authority-owned Freeport Airport Development Company, BHM will serve as the design and construction partner.

Manchester Airport Group will manage the airport and develop a fee structure, including passenger user and management fees, to ultimately finance the overhaul while repaying UK Export Finance and other lenders and ensuring the Bahamian group get a return on their investment.

Any net profits produced by the airport will go into the Government’s planned Airport Infrastructure Development Fund. Although Mr Cooper did not say it, this structure implies that Grand Bahama International Airport will be operated under the same model as Lynden Pindling International Airport (LPIA), where the Government - via the Airport Authority - retains ownership of the real estate but leases the facility to the consortium long-term, which is likely to be for 30 years.