By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Atlantis yesterday said it will swiftly ask the authorities to “reconsider” alternative seaplane landing sites that it prefers to the Montagu Bay option rejected by residents and the boating community alike.

Vaughn Roberts, Atlantis senior vice-president of government affairs and special projects, told Tribune Business that locations in Nassau harbour near the former Chalk’s site as well as “just to the west of The Pointe” had also previously been submitted to the Port Department and other agencies as potential aerodrome licence options.

Speaking after Tuesday night’s Town Hall meeting, where attendees unanimously rejected Montagu Bay given its already-extensive use by boaters and those engaged in water-based activities, he said the message that came back was that seaplane excursions are “a great idea” - but just not at that site.

Mr Roberts told this newspaper that boating/sailing community members had also suggested Athol Island and eastern Paradise Island as potential seaplane landing sites that could be licensed, although the northern side of Paradise Island is ruled out because the weather conditions there are “definitely not often suitable” for embarking and disembarking a plane.

“We presented a couple of different options initially, and were kind of directed to Montagu Bay,” Mr Roberts explained. “Based on the feedback from the public meeting, our approach now is to ask the authorities to reconsider the options we had submitted initially.

“It was interesting that, in the public meeting, persons in their comments offered up other locations. There was a sense that seaplanes were a great idea for excursions, just not in Montagu Bay. There are other locations to think about. We think we’ll press for a quick reconsideration of other options we had on the table and see where it goes.”

Asked where these “options” were located, Mr Roberts replied that Atlantis had preferred them to Montagu Bay. “One was to land in the harbour where Chalks used to land,” he revealed. “The Port thought there was a lot of traffic in the harbour, but one of the persons at the meeting said there was a bit of land alongside the Atlantis property which was not in the main corridor that could be used.

“The other is in the area just to the west of The Pointe, just west of Margaritaville. There was a test landing by Jimmy Buffett a few years ago. The thought was that the plane could land there and ferry on to the Chalk’s site or land there. There were a couple of ideas, solutions that folks put in there - Athol Island, eastern end of Paradise Island....

“We’ve already done the technical analysis associated with the other options. It’s just a matter of the authorities thinking through and having a closer look at what makes sense. To be quite candid, the other options were preferred by us from an operational perspective and a guest experience perspective, and see where it ends up. We’re hopeful we can very quickly turn to one of those options.”

Mr Roberts said Atlantis had been encouraged by comments from Chester Cooper, deputy prime minister and minister of tourism, investments and aviation, that the speedy review it is seeking will be forthcoming. Describing the seaplane proposal as “very important” to Atlantis, he added: “There’s a whole segment of our folks, the travelling public, coming into the destination that are really looking for bespoke experiences.

“This is a very effective way to see the Family Islands. I think it’s very important. We think it’s a great point of differentiation for us, and opens up opportunities for entrepreneurs to start thinking about creating certain types of experiences.”

Atlantis, in an earlier statement, said: “Our technical experts developed a few location options, and those were presented to Civil Aviation and the Port Department as part of the application process. We will be asking the authorities to reconsider these options. We were also pleased that members of the sailing community offered possible locations during the recent public meeting.”

Atlantis has teamed with Coco Bahamas Seaplanes, a Bahamian-owned airline based out of Odyssey Aviation on New Providence. The seaplanes aim to add Family Island excursions from Nassau, with operations out of Montagu Bay intended to increase connectivity, expand the tourism market and create jobs through flights to Spanish Wells and Kamalame Cay.

However, Adrian White, the St Annes MP, questioned the choice of Montagu Bay given that the area is already used for multiple water activities including sloop sailing, which is taught to local youths by nearby sailing clubs.

He strongly objected to the licence application, although he acknowledged the financial opportunities it presented, but said Atlantis would be “putting a landing strip on top of a school”.

He told the Town Hall meeting: “From a commercial perspective I understand that would be a good opportunity for excursions, but you have a big resort over on Paradise Island and you have plenty of land…

“If you put that on Montagu Bay you will basically be putting a landing strip on top of a school, and that is not something that I will accept as member of Parliament and I know so many people here are not accepting that. Why would Atlantis ever think it prudent to put a landing strip in Montagu Bay?”

Senior Commander Berne Wright, the Port Department’s acting port controller, maintained that a decision on approving the seaplane project and associated licence has not been finalised and the consultation process will influence the outcome.

He added that placing the landing site at Montagu was “only a suggestion”, and that due to increased traffic the previous location at the former Chalks operations base on Paradise Island “is not suitable for continued operations”.

Commander Wright added: “It was the Port Department’s recommendation to have what we are having now. At the Port Department we don’t make decisions in a silo, and we value what you bring to the table. Hence your input, your feelings matter in the decision we make.

“Since Chalks ceased operations there would have been considerable growth. There’s more [boating] traffic and that is not suitable for continued operations. Montagu was only a suggestion; this deal is not done. We at the Port Department, we hold no brief for Atlantis. We are the regulators and it is the decisions that we make along with the airside. No decision has been made. Your input will influence the decision and that’s why we are here today.”