Bahamas News
BAHAMAS: Preparations Begin for 5th Annual Bahamas Bowl
#Nassau, July 3, 2018 – Bahamas – The Bahamas Bowl and ESPN Events, along with Bahamian government officials, the Mid-American Conference and the Atlantis resort, kicked off preparations for the fifth-annual bowl game with a press conference at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium. The stadium once again will be the site of the contest on Friday, Dec. 21, 2018 between Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference. The game at 12:30 pm ET will be televised by ESPN for the fifth-consecutive year.
ESPN Senior VP, College Sports Programming and Events Pete Derzis, MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, Bahamas Minister of Transport and Local Government, the Honourable Frankie Campbell (who spoke on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture), Atlantis Senior VP of Public Affairs Ed Fields and National Sports Authority-Bahamas board member Anton Sealey spoke at the event, which also included Bahamas Bowl executives Richard Gianinni and Lea Miller-Tooley, to review the four bowl games to date and preview the 2018 edition.
The night before, the Bahamas Bowl and ESPN Events held an appreciation dinner in Nassau for bowl partners and sponsors to thank them for their support of the bowl in the Bahamas last year and to give an overview of the 2018 bowl activites.
Below is the text of the 2017 Bahamas Bowl Review-2018 Preview, which was provided to the media at the press conference.
After four very successful bowl games that have served as a springboard to success for those who have participated, the fifth-annual Bahamas Bowl will kick off at 12:30 pm on Friday, Dec. 21, 2018 at Nassau’s Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.
Proving the slogan “Bowl Games are Better in the Bahamas,” bowl week in Nassau always lives up to that with a mix of sun, sand and football in one of the world’s most beautiful tourist destinations.
The Bahamas Bowl was enhanced after ESPN Events added the game to an impressive stable of events in May 2015. And, with ESPN on board, the bowl week always provides student-athletes, conference partners, alumni, fans and sponsors a first-class international bowl experience.
A large part of the Bahamas Bowl’s success is the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism. Using the local slogan “Football, Family and Fun”, Bahamians of all ages come out to Robinson National Stadium to experience gameday the way it happens in U.S. college stadiums each week during the season.
The Atlantis Bahamas is another important element to the bowl experience, as it houses both teams for four nights at its world-class resort and water park on Paradise Island.
The gameday action takes place at Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, where fans have watched some of the most-exciting contests among the bowls each year. The stadium received a major upgrade in November 2016 as the National Stadium Authority-Bahamas installed a Celebration Bermuda grass field. The facility also has gone through other upgrades each year.
There has been plenty of success on the field for all of the participating teams. Both of the first two winners of the bowl — WKU in 2014 and Western Michigan in 2015 — went on to win their respective conference titles the following season, and Western Michigan participated in a New Year’s Six bowl after an undefeated season in 2016.
A total of 18 alumni who have participated in the bowl have heard their names called by teams during the 2015-18 NFL Drafts, led by Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis, who was selected No. 5 overall by the Tennessee Titans in the 2017 draft. Four former student-athletes who played in the Bahamas Bowl were selected in the 2018 NFL Draft, while a bowl-record total of seven student-athletes were taken in 2016. In addition, eight former Bahamas Bowl alumni played in at least one NFL game in 2017.
The bowl has had one conference coach of the year and three freshman of the year award winners participate in the game.
The 2017 game featured UAB of Conference USA and Ohio of the Mid-American Conference in the only current international bowl game. The combined 16 victories between UAB and Ohio coming into the game tied for the most in the history of the bowl.
A crowd of 13,585 in Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium and those watching on ESPN on TV and online saw Ohio beat UAB 41-6 as Ohio running back Dorian Brown tied a bowl record with four touchdown runs for Offensive Player of the Game honors.
The Bobcats (9-4) posted their first bowl game win since 2012 and the third bowl game win in the history of the Ohio program. Bobcats quarterback Nathan Rourke finished the day 12-of-18 passing for 185 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran three times for 30 yards to finish with 215 yards of total offense.
Quarterback A.J. Erdely completed 24-of-45 passes for 254 yards for UAB (8-5), which had its football program reinstated in 2017 after a two-year hiatus.
Ohio safety Javon Hagan was named the Defensive Player of the Game after posting a game-high nine tackles (six solo) and a forced fumble to lead the stout Bobcat defense.
Ohio head coach Frank Solich raised the Prime Minister’s Trophy after the game as the Bahamas Bowl champions.
Fans at the game were treated to a pregame Tailgate Extravaganza outside Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, a pregame performance by the famed Bahamas All-Stars band, a Junkanoo joint performance from the Valley Boys and the Saxons during the game and a halftime performance from the Royal Bahamas Police Force Band.
The game was broadcast on television on ESPN for the fourth-consecutive year as Steve Levy and 1991 Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard described the action, and the bowl action was heard in the U.S. on the Bahamas Bowl Radio Network.
The 2017 Bahamas Bowl broadcast led all bowl games in percentage of Out-of-Home Lift, defined as those people watching on the ESPN App, their connected devices and at social locations (restaurants, watch parties, etc.). The 2017 bowl had a 15 percent lift in Total Live Audience from out-of-home viewers.
The game capped off a tremendous bowl week for everyone involved, who all enjoyed the famous hospitality that the Bahamas offers to visitors.
A welcome party at the Atlantis after the teams’ arrivals gave the student-athletes, team travel parties and VIPs a taste of the Bahamas. The student-athletes attended a beach bash the next night at Atlantis and had a chance to enjoy food, fun and fellowship on the beach with spectacular views of the Caribbean and the striking Atlantis resort.
One of the highlights of bowl week was when the student-athletes from UAB and Ohio helped fulfill the mission statement of the bowl as they gave back to the youth of the Bahamas by way of a visit to the Ranfurly Homes for Children in Nassau and a Youth Football Clinic conducted by USA Football, the Commonwealth of American Football League (CAFL) and the bowl. The large contingent of student-athletes from both schools brought smiles to the Bahamian youth at both events.
“In my history of coaching I’ve been to an awful lot of bowls, and I think the Bahamas Bowl does a great job here,” said Solich. “It’s second-to-none in terms of hospitality. I think you’ve got the right amount of activities for the players, and yet still allow opportunity for free time. If you have free time, where would you rather have it than at the Atlantis?”
“Just to see the hard work everyone has put in between the Bahamas Bowl staff, the Atlantis Bahamas and the Bahamas government is incredible,” said UAB head coach Bill Clark. “I have been here before and really knew how special it was. For these guys to experience something like this is special. We have discussed the percentage of these guys that will have the opportunity to come back. I have had guys that have been at bowl games at other places, but I don’t think they have been to one that compares to what we have seen so far. This trip has been above and beyond anything we could have asked for.”
The economic impact of the Bahamas Bowl has been significant over the previous four years, as the bowl, ESPN Events, participating institutions and sponsors have spent $23.8 million in traveling to and during their stays in the Bahamas as 9,200 visitors made their way to be a part of bowl week and spent over $5 million at local hotels and resorts in Nassau.
Money was spent in travel, shipping, hotels, food, supplies, advertising, entertainment and local transportation. Several local Nassau businesses worked with the bowl and supplied product, supplies, equipment and services. The bowl will continue to visit the Ranfurly Homes, conduct the Youth Football Clinic and engage the Bahamas All-Stars band and Junkanoo groups.
Valued support for the Bahamas Bowl comes from a diverse group of sponsors, especially the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Atlantis. Local Bahamian sponsors Caribbean Bottling Company Bahamas (Coca-Cola), Burns House (Kalik), Tribune Media, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Pizza Hut and BahamasLocal.com join numerous Nassau businesses in making the bowl a success.
The support of the Bahamas Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the National Sports Authority-Bahamas and their staffs are crucial to the bowl’s efforts. Transportation partners Bahamas Experience, Leisure Travel and Tours and Majestic Travel along with the Lynden Pindling International Airport, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Nassau Airport Development Company (NAD) staffs make sure the teams, staffs, VIPs and fans get into, around New Providence Island and back home during bowl week with ease. And fans used TeamIP to get their bowl and team merchandise at the Atlantis, on gameday and online.
For the 2018 game as with the previous four, the Bahamas Bowl has Conference USA and the Mid-American Conference as participating conferences in the Nassau stadium named for the late Bahamian Olympic track star on December 21.
The fifth-annual game in 2018 promises to be another chapter in a rich history of Bahamas Bowl contests that have captured the imagination of Bahamian and visiting college football fans who have made their way to Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, and those watching on ESPN, to see why “Bowl Games are Better in The Bahamas”.
Release: BIS
Photo Caption: At the Bahamas Bowl press conference, June 28, 2018 at the Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium, from left: Tim Munnings, Director of Sports, Ministry of Youth, Sports & Culture; Anton Sealey, National Sports Authority, Bahamas; Eldece Ckarke, MOTA Sports; Ed Fields, Senior Vice-President/Public Affairs, Atlantis Paradise Island; the Hon. Frankie Campbell, Minister of Transport & Local Government; Richard Giannini, Executive Director, Bahamas Bowl; Lea Miller, Bahamas Bowl; Pete Derzis, Senior Vice-President College Sports Programming & Events ESPN; and Dr. Jon Steinbrecher, Commissioner, Mid-American Conference.
(BIS Photo/Kemuel Stubbs)
ABACO, BAHAMAS — Nearly two months after American sailor Lynette Hooker vanished in waters off Abaco, investigators are preparing
to conduct a new search based on GPS and navigation data that reportedly challenges the account originally provided by her husband.
The case, which first drew international attention in early April, began when Brian Hooker told authorities that his wife was swept away after falling from an inflatable dinghy during rough conditions in waters near Elbow Cay.
Initial search efforts involving Bahamian and U.S. authorities covered extensive areas of the Sea of Abaco but failed to locate the missing Michigan woman.
Now, according to multiple U.S. media reports, investigators have obtained electronic navigation and GPS data that appears to place the couple’s dinghy in a different location from where searchers initially concentrated their efforts.
The new information has prompted authorities to reopen search operations and seek permission for divers to examine a more targeted area of the Sea of Abaco.
Unlike the broad search that followed Hooker’s disappearance, the renewed effort is expected to focus on a relatively shallow section of water, reportedly about 25 feet deep. Investigators believe the location may offer a better opportunity to recover evidence and potentially answer lingering questions surrounding the disappearance.
The latest development marks a significant shift in the investigation.
What began as a maritime search-and-rescue operation has evolved into a complex multinational investigation involving Bahamian authorities, the United States Coast Guard and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Brian Hooker was detained and questioned by Bahamian authorities following his wife’s disappearance but was later released without
charges. While investigators have never publicly accused him of a crime, reports indicate he remains a person of interest as authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the case.
Hooker has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and has maintained that his wife accidentally fell overboard.
The investigation has intensified in recent weeks. U.S. authorities have reportedly seized the couple’s sailboat, Soulmate, transporting the vessel to Florida for forensic examination. Investigators are said to be reviewing onboard electronics, digital records and other potential evidence as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The case has also attracted attention from Lynette Hooker’s family, who have continued to press for answers and support efforts to locate her.
The renewed search comes after Brian Hooker returned to the United States following the disappearance. Reports indicate he cited family reasons, including concerns about his mother’s health, for leaving The Bahamas.
For investigators, however, the focus now appears fixed on the newly identified search area and the electronic evidence that led them there.
Whether the latest operation produces answers remains to be seen. But nearly eight weeks after Lynette Hooker disappeared in the waters of Abaco, authorities believe new technology and new information may finally provide a clearer picture of what happened that night.
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Regional policymakers, development financiers, economists and international partners are converging on Nassau this week as the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) stages its 56th Annual Meeting at the Baha Mar Resort from June 1-5, 2026.
Held under the theme, “Forging the Caribbean’s Future: Strategic Solutions for Uncertain Times,” the gathering is expected to
place The Bahamas at the center of discussions on some of the region’s most pressing challenges, from climate resilience and energy security to debt sustainability and economic growth.
At the launch of the annual meeting on March 19, CDB President Daniel Best underscored the importance of bringing together leaders from across the Caribbean and beyond at a time of global uncertainty.
“The Annual Meeting provides a strategic moment for the Caribbean, an opportunity for our leaders, governments, development institutions, private sector, youth, and international partners to come together to identify practical solutions that can help the Region navigate uncertainty while unlocking the opportunities that lie ahead,” Best said.
The conference host, newly named Bahamas Minister of Finance and Chairman of the CDB Board of Governors, Michael Halkitis, also emphasized the significance of the event during the March 19 launch ceremony.
“Today’s gathering marks more than the start of preparations for an important meeting. It represents the beginning of a renewed conversation about the future of the Caribbean, about our shared aspirations, our common challenges, and the partnerships that will shape the path forward for our region,” Halkitis said.
He added: “Hosting the 56th Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Development Bank here in Nassau provides an important opportunity to strengthen partnerships and advance meaningful dialogue on the future of the Caribbean.”
Over the five-day meeting, delegates will tackle major issues including energy transition and resilience, innovative debt solutions for Caribbean economies, and the impact of global economic shocks on regional development.
The programme features a number of high-level events including the Youth FIRE Forum, the William G. Demas Memorial Lecture, the
President’s Chat titled Financing the Future: MDB Strategies for Uncertain Times, and a series of policy seminars examining climate finance, infrastructure, economic resilience and development lending.
Among the featured participants are CDB President Daniel Best, Finance Minister Michael Halkitis, senior officials from multilateral development banks, regional finance ministers, central bank governors, economists, development specialists and private-sector leaders. The President’s Chat is expected to bring together leaders of major multilateral development banks to discuss financing strategies for developing states facing mounting economic pressures.
The annual meeting also includes sessions branded “EDGE X by CDB: Analytics Unlocked,” which will explore the economic costs of traffic congestion in the Caribbean and how global crises continue to affect regional economies.
The CDB Annual Meeting traditionally attracts representatives from the Bank’s 28 member countries, including government ministers, senior public officials, development agencies, international financial institutions, youth delegates, academics and private-sector stakeholders. Hundreds of delegates are expected to participate in discussions that will help shape development priorities and financing strategies across the Caribbean in the years ahead.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
May 29, 2026 – Two years after The Bahamas made history as the first Caribbean nation to host the African Export-Import Bank’s Annual
Meetings, thousands of delegates are expected to gather in Egypt next month for AAM2026.
The 33rd Afreximbank Annual Meetings will be held from June 21-24 in El Alamein, Egypt, under the theme: “Intra-African Trade and Industrialisation: Pathway to Economic Sovereignty.”
The event is regarded as one of Africa’s most important gatherings on trade, investment, finance and economic development, bringing together heads of state, policymakers, business leaders, development finance institutions and international partners.
For Caribbean nations, the meetings hold special significance.
In 2024, The Bahamas welcomed thousands of delegates to Nassau for the landmark event, marking the first time the annual meetings were staged outside the African continent and placing the Caribbean at the center of growing discussions on Africa-Caribbean trade and investment.
Since then, Afreximbank has continued to expand its engagement in the region, promoting stronger commercial ties between Africa and Caribbean countries and exploring opportunities in trade finance, infrastructure development, logistics, investment and private sector growth.
Organizers say this year’s discussions will focus on strengthening intra-African trade, advancing industrialization, building regional value chains and increasing economic resilience amid global uncertainty.
The meetings are also expected to provide a platform for new partnerships, investment opportunities and development initiatives that could have implications beyond Africa, including for Caribbean nations seeking to deepen economic cooperation with the continent.
As leaders prepare to convene in Egypt, the Caribbean’s growing relationship with Afreximbank remains a key part of the institution’s broader vision of expanding trade and investment connections across the Global South.
Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.
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