Soft Opening

If Victor is counting on the closing fees at Viceroy to make up his 3% increase in the budget, he will be in trouble. The word on the street is that the planned April “soft opening” at Viceroy is off. Yes, I know that the date you last heard about was Christmas, 2008, then April. But, I am reliably informed that was changed to June without anyone officially telling us about it. Now, even the June date is said to be in doubt. I checked with Viceroy’s liason officer. He assures me that all is on schedule for the soft opening in April.

According to the newspaper report of the Hon Minister of Finance’s presentation on the Budget speech for 2009,

“He said the increase in revenue of $4 million over the 2008 figure was mainly expected from Stamp Duties resulting from alien landholders’ licenses to be issued to purchasers of real estate when the Viceroy project opens for operation in 2009.”

It would be interesting to try to do the math to see what kind of sales they need to generate this kind of revenue!

So, how are the World Class Pools coming on? I have been informed that several of the large pools have been given to local contractors for completion because World Class is way behind schedule. Good to see our local contractors get the business rather than the “professionals” from off-island!

Why are the managers being reassigned? I presume it is because there is nothing here for them to do.

How can they open in April when the restaurant they built on the point will have to be redone? The ground seas that I am told swept through it in December must have cooked the wiring by now.

And, how are the law suits coming along?

Claim No. AXA/HCV No. 2008/0051 - Thomas P Lydon and Sharon K Lydon -v- Barnes Bay Development Limited and Stewart Title Eastern Caribbean. The Claimants are represented by Webster Dyrud Mitchell, the 1st Defendant by Keithley Lake & Associates, and the 2nd Defendant by Caribbean Juris Chambers.

Claim No. AXA/HCV 2008/0061 - Mark Frederickson -v- Barnes Bay Development Ltd (dba Viceroy Resorts & Residences (Anguilla). The Claimant is represented by C.R Hodge & Associates, and the Defendant by Keithley Lake and Associates.

Anyone want to guess what the suits are about?