By Fay Simmons

Tribune Business Reporter

jsimmons@tribunemedia.net

Baha Mar’s $350m replacement for the former Melia property will be a 20-storey high-end resort that will dominate the Cable Beach skyline and help fill “the inventory void” caused by New Providence’s loss of hotel rooms.

The mega resort operator, in documents filed with the Department of Physical Planning, is now seeking preliminary site plan approval from the Town Planning Committee - following a public consultation - that will feature 345 hotel rooms, 58 residences and a range of upscale amenities.

Robert Sands, Baha Mar’s senior vice-president, told Tribune Business that Baha Mar’s owner, Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises (CTFE), is “very confident” in the strength of The Bahamas’ tourism industry and views the proposed development as key to addressing the current shortage of hotel rooms.

“We’re very confident in Bahamas tourism and we look forward to this project filling the inventory void in the industry,” he added.

Graeme Davis, Baha Mar’s president, in an October 22, 2025, letter to Physical Planning, affirmed the new resort will include a spa and wellness centre, multiple restaurants and bars, as well as conference and event spaces.

“The Baha Mar parcel west development is a proposed expansion of the Baha Mar resort and is located on the former Melia property situated along West Bay Street on the island of New Providence in The Bahamas,” he said. “It consists of a ground-up, 20-storey luxury hotel and branded residence consisting of a two-storey podium, a west and east tower….

“The programme includes 345 branded hotel and 58 branded residences, eight pool villas, and adult and family pools. Amenities include a spa and wellness centre, fitness centre, conference and event spaces, multiple dining facilities including a pool bar and a signature pool side restaurant, retail spaces, beachfront access and a Kids Club.

“The gross floor area is roughly 680,000 square feet. A single-storey service building is planned north of Scotiabank at the land known commonly referred to as the ‘Melia vacant land site’.”

Brent Creary, principal of ArchVenture, the project’s architect, said the new resort will be “seamlessly integrated” into the existing Baha Mar resort campus and occupy the ten-acre site that formerly housed the Melia located west of the Baha Mar Bay water park. 

In September 2024, Baha Mar announced plans to invest $350m in the project, which is expected to create 500 permanent jobs upon completion in 2029.

Mr Davis, speaking on behalf of Baha Mar and CTFE, said the development agreement, recently formalised through a Heads of Agreement, will also generate about 400 construction jobs. However, he noted that the company is not rushing to begin work.

“We’re in the middle of working through all the programming,” he explained. “That will take us well into 2025. Then we’ll start working on RFPs (requests for proposals) for construction,” said Mr Davis

“We’re expecting to have over 400 local Bahamian construction jobs, and then eventually 500 in full-time employment at the new project, in addition to the over 5,000 we have today at Baha Mar.

“By the time we get through the architectural documents, we get through the RFPs on contractors, we’re expecting to have a shovels in the ground in early 2026. That’s not too far away. It will take three years to have it completely finished, and we’re expecting to cut a ribbon and have our first guest in 2029.”