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Lucayan Strip sale has leaders talking, Govt under pressure to make a move, but what?

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#Bahamas, August 25, 2017 – Grand Bahama – The Bahamas Government may have to get back into the hotel business as it appears to be a rocky road ahead when it comes to solidifying a deal for the Lucayan Strip in Freeport.    Many are weighing in now, after the report that the Wynn Group out of Canada has left the table, reportedly that negotiation ended weeks ago.

From the owner of #PortLucayaMarketplace saying the government should opt for short term pain to see long term gain, to an anonymous source saying the Government may take an equity stake in the resort site, to a former Grand Bahama Port Authority executive calling for a firm hand in dealing with Hutchison Wompoa and the former Tourism Minister saying the PLP Administration also considered buying in to save the district; all agree that it is an important, tough call which has to be made carefully and soon by the Minnis led government.

One thousand direct jobs were lost when the Memories hotel and casino closed down, Government is under pressure to act now to get people back to work.    The FNM Administration has not not said anything, but in their saying there is little insight about what the government will do now that they are in this quandary over which direction to take when it comes to the #LucayanStrip.

Peter Hunt, owner of Port Lucaya gives an interesting interview to Tribune Business where he explains that a theme park styled revamp of the strip to the tune of $350M is what their side believes is right and he explained that a sudden or rushed move by Government to get people back to work may cost the island a real game changing deal.

Hunt explains,  “If they put an all-inclusive operator in there for five to 10 years, it will kill the deal.   I’m very, very nervous that the Government will have a knee jerk reaction because they want to open that resort quickly.   That will kill the deal.   It won’t work.   It will be a dead duck.    But we feel the process is being rushed because they have to do something, and that could restrict long-term gain,” he added.

Hunt exposed that the Government has told him, we’d like to work with you, but people are saying we need something to happen today’.   Hunt told the publication he feels sorry for The Government’s position in this dynamic deal.    While Carey Leornard, former Chairman at the Grand Bahama Port Authority says government has to act forcefully with Hutchison because, in his view, Grand Bahama is on the brink of economic collapse.

Leornard was also speaking the Tribune Business when he said,  “The Government needs to let them [Cheung Kong Property Holdings, the Grand Lucayan owner created by Hutchison Whampoa’s split] know that they cannot just shut down a major property and get away with it.   The Government needs to be extremely firm.”

Obie Wilchcombe, who had days before the elections left the country to secure the Letter of Intent, with a deposit of $110,000 paid by the Wynn Group said he is watching the situation,   “We were hoping by now that the property would be under repair and being prepared for the winter season coming.   I’m deeply concerned, but I hold on to what the Prime Minister said in his national address: that the Government will be stepping up to the plate to assist.”

But it seems the Minnis Administration does not believe the deal struck with the PLP could happen as originally hoped for #GrandBahama.    That anonymous source to Tribune Business said, “The Government realized Wynn couldn’t do it, and didn’t want them as a player.   They’ve been out for several weeks.”   It is reported that in addition to hundreds of jobs, Grand Bahama lost 59% of its room inventory.

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Twist To Win Ends in a Grand Style with Four $5,000 Mall at Marathon Shopping Sprees  

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Twist To Win grand finale winners (l-r) Brian Bethel, Taraceta Neely, Ashia Demeritte and Merlin Adams posing along with their winnings from the shopping spree.

NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products concluded their 10 weeklong Twist To Win campaign with four $5,000 Mall at Marathon shopping sprees.

The campaign which was available throughout the entire Bahamas allowed consumers to enter by purchasing a 20oz bottle with a yellow cap from the following brands: Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola No Sugar, Sprite, Fanta Orange, or Fanta Grape. Each yellow-cap had a unique alpha numeric code underneath which they submitted to the Twist To Win WhatsApp number.

With each qualifying purchase, participants residing in The Bahamas were entered to win instant prizes and into a grand prize draw to win one of four $5,000 shopping sprees at the Mall at Marathon.

Participants also enjoyed exciting instant prizes such as: Airpods, JBL Speakers, premium Coca-Cola merchandise, $500 Visa gift cards and Amazon, Spotify and Apple Music digital gift cards.

Out of 76,000 plus submissions, Brian Bethel, Ashia Demeritte, Merlin Adams, and Taraceta Neely won the coveted Mall at Marathon shopping sprees at the following select stores, Kelly’s House & Home, The Sports Center, John Bull, Brass & Leather, and BTC.

Leading up to the grand finale shopping spree, Coca-Cola hosted a Trivia Showdown with the eight finalists to determine the four winners. Finalists were tested on their knowledge of World History, Pop Culture, Caribbean Bottling Company and Coca-Cola Facts!

After a few rousing rounds of trivia, the four winners were declared after each winning their spot in the shopping spree by answering their questions correctly and choosing the “Grand Prize” Coca-Cola labeled bottles at random.

The morning of the shopping spree Coca-Cola gave the winners exclusive access to the Mall at Marathon and its participating stores before their usual operating hours. Grand prize winners were greeted with wide smiles from Coca-Cola brand representatives and morning bites before the big event.

At the start of the thirty-minute clock the grand prize winners along with each of their Coca-Cola shopping assistants ran to the various stores collecting items in their arms and carts.

Merlin Adams, a husband and father of four was proud to have executed his game-plan at the end of the shopping spree. With toys, a new phone and materials for his home from Kelly’s, Adams felt accomplished in what he gathered.

Taraceta Neely, a winner from Eleuthera collected beautiful bags for herself and relatives from Brass and Leather and Brian Bethel bought matching athletic and outdoor wear from The Sports Center for his family.

The final winner Ashia Demeritte bought linens and household items in addition to a new phone from BTC right in time for Christmas.

Caribbean Bottling Company is proud to share the real magic of Coca-Cola with the grand prize winners and the may instant prize winners across the Twist To Win campaign. For more updates on new products, promotions, and events follow www.cbcbahamas.com.

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 The Coca-Cola Art Project Astonishes Art Lovers at The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival  

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NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers and distributors of Coca-Cola and Dasani products displayed their astonishing Coca-Cola Art Project (CCAP), during Baha Mar’s five-day Culinary & Arts Festival.                                                                                                                                                                              Earlier this year, Coca-Cola partnered with The University of The Bahamas’ Visual Art and Design Department for a culturally rich art competition. UB’s art students were challenged to create pieces surrounding the theme, Bahamian music.

As a result, 20 student works of art were made, with four students declared as winners at the CCAP exhibit opening in Baha Mar’s ECCHO: Art Gallery in August. To recreate the culturally stimulating magic felt at the exhibit’s premiere, the CCAP was featured at the FUZE Art Tent during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival.

Nine incredible pieces of art lined the walls of the Coca-Cola Art Project, four of which included the winning pieces from Jhanaisia Cole, with ‘Gaulin Bride’; Alyssa Pinder, with ‘Shotgun Wedding’; Nelson Gray, with ‘Untitled’; and Jaela Bowe, with the piece ‘Whims of Obeah, a Folktail’.                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Additionally, an intimate listening room was built. It displayed students’ artistic processes, UB Visual Art and Design representatives, and a recap of the exhibit opening for audiences.

Art enthusiasts also enjoyed premium limited-edition CCAP keepsakes at the booth. Journals which featured a collage of all 20 student submissions on the front and back cover, postcards with an art piece on the cover along with the student’s name, title, dimension and materials on the back and pens designed with the CCAP’s dynamic logo.

Throughout the art festival diverse groups of people visited the art tent taking in the displays while enjoying the artistic insights from the listening booth.

Community and culture are always at the forefront of Caribbean Bottling Community, and it was boldly showcased during The Bahamas Culinary & Arts Festival for the third consecutive year.

For more details on the Coca-Cola Art Project, events and new products visit www.cbcbahamas.com today!

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CWS Brings a Galore of Bubbles at Annual Jollification Festival  

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Caribbean Wines & Spirits team members smiling behind one of the company’s two bars at Jollification

NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor delighted Jollification attendees with bubbles from their Bottega and Bouvet Ladubay sparkling wines and Besserat de Bellefon champagne lines.

Located in the Monument Circle on The Retreat grounds, CWS transformed The Retreat Garden into a lush lounge with Besserat, Bouvet and their latest product addition, Bottega, during the two-day affair.

The festivities kicked off Friday during BNT Member’s Night. Guests enjoyed exclusive offerings from CWS’s catalogue, offered exclusively to members.  Complimentary mixes or glasses on the rocks included El Tequileno tequila, Hard Truth whiskey, House of Angostura rum, Cross Keys gin, Nemiroff vodka and a slew of wines such as Fonesca Bin, Bottega and Besserat.

Guests also savored the ‘Jolly Paloma’ cocktail, an instant favorite made with El Tequileno tequila, Schweppes Grapefruit and Domaine de Paris rose wine.  To end the night, guests were treated to branded limited-edition wine tumblers as keepsakes.

On Saturday and Sunday, Jollification attendees delighted in glasses or bottles of champagne and sparkling brut or rosé wines while taking in the comfort of the chic lounge.  In addition to purchasing bottles for onsite consumption, consumers were also able to purchase bottles as gifts whether for themselves or someone special.

The sophisticated “bubble lounge” lounge was decked with velvet couches, gold rimmed cocktail tables, blue and pink pillows, and a white floral branded backdrop created for capturing the perfect picture.

Caribbean Wines & Spirits, a historic partner of the Bahamas National Trust was pleased to support Jollification 2025 to kick off the festive season and share their expansive range of spirits.

To keep up to date with all CWS products and events, visit their website at www.cwsbahamas.com today.

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