News
Hopes for Hotels in Grand Turk, resident shares why it’s not happened yet
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#TurksandCaicos, November 22, 2022 – “Somewhere in one of the government buildings is a closet just full of groundbreaking shovels for Grand Turk, you could make a circle around Grand Turk with shovels.”
That is how Pastor Chad Archbold best explains the pileup of hotel construction projects destined for the island that never seem to reach completion. A native of Grand Turk, he describes himself as “Someone who is passionate about the things relating specifically to Grand Turk and I’m always looking to see my community be enhanced someday.”
This longing to see the island developed is one Archbold shares with many other Grand Turk residents. We spoke to him and several others before the government’s town hall meeting on November 17th, all expressed a feeling of neglect and a desire to see their island grow past its reputation as a Carnival Cruise destination.
“I believe the island is long past needing a quality project. People need to stop behaving as if it boils down to politics and the land. It boils down to creating a proper development on the island. It’s long overdue and Grand Turk has suffered for it.” He said. “Grand Turk has all of the attributes for a hotel property and with the advent of Carnival over the last decade you have even more going for the island.”
While thankful for Carnival he expressed the need for a constant source of income for residents as ‘cruise ships can only do so much.’
“There are no [hotels] and several attempts over the years to establish and create an extraordinary property on Grand Turk that would have been a catalyst for even greater economics– for various reasons hasn’t materialized. There’s no other word to use the community has suffered. ” the pastor explained.
He describes driving from the lighthouse to White Sands Beach and seeing the potential in the community and being disappointed that there was just nothing there. In the last two years alone a $200 million dollar hotel and casino
But what has caused the constant failings?
With his over 30-years experience in consulting and working on projects for development in Grand Turk Archbold has some ideas, but he first made it clear this was no fault of Grand Turk, there is no ‘curse’ over the islands.
“In all honesty for some of the attempts there weren’t ample opportunities for some of those to materialize” he said, “The amount of convincing you have to do when it comes to development on Grand Turk is excessive. It doesn’t matter if people see Carnival and the crowds or how glorious Governors Beach is, it doesn’t matter.”
“If you can’t have proper synergy with the developer or someone working to get this done it won’t happen and the community of Grand Turk has to reach a place in their psychology– knowing that the investment of Grand Turk is for their present and future well being.” He explained
Even with these factors, he says investment opportunities are available and the naturally beautiful real estate is available; but anyone looking to seriously tackle being the first major hotel on the islands will have to approach the project in a very specific way.
”You have to develop in Grand Turk with the mindset that only I am the major entity here I have to make sure that I have everything that is needed to sustain my project and to make it viable for the community; from airlift to employment; to the expansion of small businesses in the private sector and job opportunities outside of the government. ” He maintained. “Whatever goes there must compete with anything that you would put on Grace Bay because you only get one shot at it.
In order to effect the major economic revitalization of the community you have to invest significantly.”
Jobs for young people was another major issue for residents ahead of the town meeting with the Premier. The pastor echoed this recalling an interaction with a young man while he was working on a hotel project years back.
“He told me you don’t understand how much I am desperately looking forward to this, I can tell you I am waiting for it because I think it’s going to change the life of some of us young guys,” Archbold shared.
Going forward, the pastor hopes people will see the value in following through with a significant and sensible and sensitive hotel project, which does not miss but instead captures and preserves the island charm and historic sentiment of the capital of the Turks and Caicos, Grand Turk.
Politics aside, he said, the sake of the island should be first.