Bermuda - Hotels

The Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa has signed a letter of intent to bring Rosewood Hotels & Resorts in as its operator.

An agreement is expected to be finalised within the next three months and the hotel will be renamed Rosewood Tucker’s Point.

Premier Ewart Brown said ‘Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa has been a vital addition to Bermuda’s tourism economy and has raised the bar for hospitality facilities and services here. The decision to retain Rosewood Hotels & Resorts to manage the hotel will ensure its continued operation at a high luxury standard.’

Press statement on Hurricane Igor by David Burch, Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing – Friday, 17 September, 2010

As I address you, we are just over 24 hours away from experiencing the beginning of what is expected to be the ferocious impact of Hurricane Igor.

We have all heard the reports from the Bermuda Weather Service that this storm will be a long and punishing one and the potential for injury and physical damage is great.

It is my sincere hope that you and your families take the remainder of today to finalise your hurricane preparations, by securing your homes, your property and ensuring that you have adequate supplies.

Earlier this morning the Emergency Measures Organisation met to get the latest update on Hurricane Igor and the status of preparations by the security forces and essential services.

I want to take this opportunity to assure the people of Bermuda that your Government is doing everything possible to ensure our preparedness prior to and post the storm.

There is no doubt that in the immediate aftermath of the storm, there will be a heightened level of activity with members of the public wishing to check on the wellbeing of their friends and family, and the status of their property.

I want to caution you though, that this will be a critical period of assessment by our Emergency Services personnel, such as Fire, Police and the Bermuda Regiment.

From a public safety stand point I am urging members of the public to refrain from travelling the roads to explore any damage that may have been caused. It will be imperative that a full assessment by our emergency teams is done as quickly as possible.

Let me take a few minutes to touch on some very critical points that residents should be aware of as the storm approaches.

• By late Sunday night, the worst of the storm will begin. It will be at its closest point of approach at 2:00 am Monday morning. We can expect sustained winds of up 90 knots and potential gusts of 110 knots.

The L. F. Wade International Airport is currently open, but it is anticipated that it will close late Saturday afternoon. It is expected to reopen on Monday following an assessment of the runway and the airport facility by the Department of Airport Operations.

• Weather conditions around the Causeway are being monitored. It is anticipated, that in accordance with established protocol, closure of the Causeway will be coincident with the onset of 50 knot Easterly winds. Currently that is forecast for Sunday afternoon. Once a decision is made to close the Causeway, the public will be notified in advance of its closure.

• Residents in low lying areas and who live along the water should be prepared for storm surge flooding and have already been contacted to make the necessary preparations to secure their properties.

• The Ministry of Culture & Social Rehabilitation has prepared and equipped the emergency shelter at CedarBridge Academy. As of 5:00 pm today (Friday), members of the public seeking shelter can begin making their way to this facility.

• The KEMH has reported all is in readiness. The Lambe Foggo Urgent Care Centre will be operational. Nurses and a physician will be on duty at the facility. KEMH ambulances will also be stationed at the facility. The St. John Ambulance Brigade is also deploying an ambulance in St. George.

• Hotels and guest properties are in hurricane preparedness mode and have contingency plans in place. The Bermuda Department of Tourism is monitoring the approaching storm and is continuously liaising with the Bermuda Hotel Association to ensure that visitors have the latest information.

• The Government’s Emergency Assistance Organisation (EAO) will be ready to assist once the storm has passed. Please call the EAO at 292-6325 or 292-6339, should you require emergency help after the storm.

• The Bermuda Electric Light Company and the telecommunications companies have contingency plans in place to begin restoring service following the passage of the storm should that be necessary.

• There is a partial embodiment of elements of the Bermuda Regiment, and those soldiers are asked to report to Warwick Camp as ordered on Sunday. All remaining soldiers should be on standby for possible embodiment after the storm.

• The Bermuda Reserve Police are on standby for embodiment.

• The Emergency Broadcast station at 100.1 FM is the official source for information regarding the Hurricane as necessary just prior to, during and after the storm.

• The EMO will meet again on Monday after the passing of the storm to further update the public on any developments.

• The Ministry of Education wishes to advise that all Government Schools will be closed on Monday during the storm and Tuesday to allow a full assessment of schools prior to reopening.

• At this stage Government Offices will close on Monday.

• Government House has advised that a Royal Navy frigate will be on standby off Bermuda during the storm and will enter port following to lend assistance.

Finally, I wish to take this opportunity to commend the residents on their strength of spirit and courage, during what can easily be described as a challenging time for our Country. I also want to commend – you – the media for providing balanced and accurate information on this storm and encouraging our residents to take the threat seriously.

In recent years, we have witnessed the awesome power of Mother Nature and the devastation that hurricanes inflict on countries and communities.

None of us will soon forget Hurricane Katrina which devastated New Orleans and areas along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and South Florida in 2005.

Closer to home, we’ve experienced our own challenges with the unforgettable Hurricane Emily – 24 years ago and Hurricane Fabian in 2003.

Following each of these disasters, we came together as one to assist in rebuilding our communities.

And it is my genuine belief, that should we sustain serious damage in the wake of this storm, we will rally together once again to ensure that our Island is up and running as swiftly as possible.

It is also in this spirit of unity that I ask you to be mindful of your neighbors, seniors in particular and look out for one another during this testing time for our Island.

I would now like to invite Dr. Guishard to the podium to provide you with specifics on the weather.

Thank you.

Press statement on Hurricane Igor by Dr. Mark Guishard, Director of the Bermuda Weather Service, Friday, 17 September, 2010

This storm is one that should be taken extremely seriously – as the Minister has already stated, the threat is high. A Hurricane Watch is already in effect. We at the Bermuda Weather Service, in consultation with the US National Hurricane Center, will be issuing a Hurricane Warning this afternoon. this Warning is issued whenever hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours.

If there is any doubt, let me make a few basic comparisons – Hurricane Fabian in 2003 was a Category 3 when it made a direct hit on Bermuda – this storm, Hurricane Igor is also forecast to be at or near Category 3 intensity when it moves close to Bermuda on Sunday night.

Fabian had a wind swath at the equivalent time frame 2 days before the CPA, of about 110 nm in diameter. The swath of Hurricane Force winds associated with Igor is currently approximately 150 nautical miles across. The tropical storm force winds (otherwise known as gales in winter storms) extend some 500 miles across the storm’s diameter (Fabian’s were 350nm). So, not only is Igor of similar intensity to Fabian, it is actually bigger, making us an even more likely target. Make no mistake, even if the center of this system misses the island, we will experience significant impacts.

The current forecast is indeed for a direct hit on the island, the worst case scenario in these situations. Accordingly, we should prepare for sustained winds of on the order of 100 knots (115 mph), with gusts to 120 knot or 140 mph. Again, this is comparable to the wind speeds we experienced during Hurricane Fabian in 2003.

The baseline level of the water (without putting wind driven waves on top of
it) is what we refer to as storm surge, and it is expected to be on the order of 5 to 7 feet above the normal tide levels. high tides through the weekend are in the pre-dawn hours and early evenings, low tides are generally near noon and midnight. I must reiterate the comments of the Minister – if your property is prone to surge, then it will likely have some inundation during this event.

Analyses of the wave heights associated with Igor indicate that the maximum waves at the centre of the storm are in excess of 50 feet. Already we are starting to see large swells on the south shore in advance of the approach of Igor. Expect rip currents and battering waves on the reefline, and potentially dangerous surf at the beaches.

Rainfall is always of concern and isolated road flooding is to be expected.

Of course with all tropical systems, which are intensely rotating, there is the potential for the spin up of tornado activity, which we saw in both Hurricane Fabian, and in Category 1 Hurricane Emily in 1987. In recent years, we have seen tornado activity associated with outer rain bands – Hurricane Florence in 2006 and Hurricane Bill last year are examples of this. The point I am making is that even in advance of the worst conditions, we could see some severe weather affect the island several hours before the onset of worst conditions.

Regarding levels of certainty, computer models on which we base these forecasts have been not only consistent with each other, but also consistent through time, in saying that we will have an impact from Igor. However, one of the very reasons that we treat tropical systems with such caution is their ability to make sudden changes in track and intensity – hence, as with all tropical systems, there is uncertainty inherent in this forecast. We all hope and pray that Igor will veer a little further away than is currently forecast, but we must take all action now to prepare to safeguard life and property.

Please have a plan of action to protect your life, your family, your property and your business. If you have a plan, please implement it now – Saturday evening will be too late to make any further preparations – as I have already said in previous media statements, this is not the time to be complacent. Be safe and god bless.

Acts appearing at the 2010 Bermuda Music Festival have been announced by Ewart Brown, Premier and Minister of Tourism and Transport.

The line-up for the 15th annual festival includes Ziggy Marley, Toni Braxton, Angie Stone, and Estelle. It will be held at the Fairmont Southampton from September 30 to October 2.

Tickets go on sale July 26 and are available online at www.bdatix.bm and in Bermuda at the iStore on Reid Street in Hamilton and Fabulous Fashions at the Heron Bay Plaza.

Ewart Brown, Premier of Bermuda and Minister of Tourism and Transport, is today praising local hotel The Reefs on their recent renovation and expansion.

The Premier said, “One of the keys to Bermuda’s tourism turnaround is proactive, visionary leadership among our hoteliers. The recognition that what was good enough forty years ago isn’t good enough for the modern, sophisticated traveller should compel our entire Tourism industry to keep our product renewed, revitalized and ahead of our competition.

The Reefs’ David Dodwell has shown that he is not content to rest on the laurels of his hotels’ fine reputation, but instead has looked for ways to keep his product fresh, exciting and customer driven. He is a pacesetter for hoteliers who have been slow to upgrade the product and he has demonstrated a deep understanding of his customer.”

The Reefs which has been consistently ranked in Travel & Leisure Magazine as one of the best resorts in the Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda region has just completed a renovation and expansion project that now incorporates fractional ownership.

Premier Brown remarked, “The fact that The Reefs have made a commitment to employing, promoting and retaining Bermudians within its staff should be noted. We often say that the best thing about Bermuda is our people and The Reefs should be praised for keeping Bermudians on the frontlines of tourism at their hotel.”

9 Beaches will not open for the 2010 season.

Yesterday Premier Ewart Brown announced the Sandys Parish resort will undergo an $80 million dollar redevelopment and reopen in May 2011.

He said, “This development is yet another step on the path to revitalizing Bermuda’s tourism product to ensure we regain our reputation as a first class resort destination. This new development is also going to provide jobs during the re-development as well as additional jobs once the resort re-opens in 2011.”

Bermuda is turning up the heat with its new Sizzling Summer Promotion, offering up to $600 in resort credit based on room nights booked. Guests receive a $600 credit when booking a six night stay, $500 credit when booking a five-night stay and $400 credit when booking a four-night stay.

The Department of Tourism teamed up with the Bermuda Hotel Association for this exclusive promotion, available for booking April 1 – 30 for travel May 1 – October 31, 2010.

Participating hotels include: Cambridge Beaches, Coco Reef, Elbow Beach, Fairmont Hamilton Princess, Fairmont Southampton, Grape Bay Beach Hotel, Grotto Bay, Newstead Belmont Hills, 9 Beaches, Pompano, Reefs, Rosedon, Royal Palms, St. George’s Club, Surf Side, Tucker’s Point and Willowbank.

Property developer Kevin Petty has told the Royal Gazette newspaper that a new $100 million cottage colony will be built on the site of the Lantana within 3 years.

The developer has been hired by Lawrence Doyle. The New York hedge fund manager purchased the property in 2008.

The Royal Gazette reports today that plans are being drawn up for a new hotel in Southampton Parish.

The development, on the site of the old Munro Beach Cottages, will include 26 two-bedroom hotel suites, a restaurant, and swimming pool. The site is adjacent to the Port Royal Golf Course.

The developer is Moongate Resorts, owned by Kevin Petty of Newstead Belmont Hills.

Munro Beach Cottages closed in July 2007.

Brickman has issued a statement saying that construction work on a new Four Seasons hotel in Bermuda will begin later this year.

The development will consist of a 150 room hotel and 80 fractional units. It will be located on the site of the Coral Beach Club and Horizons & Cottages in Paget Parish.

Brickman is a real estate private equity firm based in New York. They purchased the properties in 2008.