CHEC hopeful of casino

| 22/12/2011

cruise plans_0.jpg(CNS): The developers currently in talks with CIG to build the George Town cruise berthing facilities appear hopeful that the Cayman Islands government will have changed its position on gambling by the time the project is finished as the plans call for a hotel and casino on the upland development. Although the proposed plans have not been made public here in Cayman, pictures taken by the Chamber of Commerce during its fact finding mission about CHEC in Jamaica last month reveal that China Harbour Engineering Company has factored a casino into the upland design. The chamber delegation was given a presentation by the firm's representatives there when some of the drawings for the project were revealed.

Despite the ongoing controversy over the decision of the premier to partner with the Beijing based firm, the ministerial MOU, which expired at the end of November, was extended recently until March and now includes the Port Authority Board.  Speaking about the development in the Legislative Assembly recently, McKeeva Bush said many unpleasant things and lies had been told about the firm but he believed government had found a good partner in CHEC, one that it could work with and move forward with what he said was the much needed facility.

The premier has said very little about the details of CHEC’s plans but it is understood from the MOU and comments made in the public domain from officials and CHEC representatives in Jamaica that the firm will be recouping its significant investment in the project, estimated at more than$200 million,  through the collection of cruise line fees and from a retail development on the upland area of the new cruise port.

cruise plans.jpgThe hotel and casino, according to the plans (shown right and on page 22 of the Chamber report), is centred between the two piers and is part of an extensive upland area which includes restaurants, a dive shop, a covered two storey shopping area where passengers will pass through before alighting in George Town, and a marina.

CHEC is not the first developer that would like to see gaming introduced and the debate about whether Cayman will succumb to the lucrative lure of casinos has been running for some time. It rose to prominence in 2009 and 2010 when gaming was posed as a possible solution to the government’s financial difficulties.Former cabinet minister Gilbert McLean also began collecting signatures from registered voters in order to attempt to trigger the islands’ first people initiated referendum with the question of a national lottery.

At that time the premier had committed to holding a referendum on the issue in order to put the subject to rest once and for all. However, after dealing with the public finances through raising fees and duties instead, the idea of a referendum was shelved.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I am going to recommend that my company cancel its membership in CI Chamber of Commerce, as they no longer seem credible or relevant to local needs and concerns.  Sure, on Page 22 of their report compiled after their "fact-finding trip" (paid for by CHEC, by the way), they did post pictures of CHEC's proposed development (which heretofore was largely kept secret from the Caymanian public for reasons best known to the powers that be), and for that I will give the Chamber some credit, but how come Chamber representatives didn't specifically point out to the public, that the plans included a casino?  I don't recall hearing them even speaking publicly of it.  Was it just left like that for the rest of of us to discover accidentally, thanks to CNS' ever vigilant reporters whose eagle-eyes seem to miss nothing even when the rest of us might miss something?    I guess that is what happens when one accepts an expense-paid trip, it sort of compromises one's objectivity and dampens one's drive to point out things that might have a huge impact locally.  I still can't understand why they felt the need to accept an expense-paid trip from CHEC – don't they have enough wealthy companies as members who could have sponsored the trip? 

  2. Anonymous says:

    The Casino idea is a great way to ESTABLISH Cayman as the leader in CRIME.

    Have you people forgotten what will follow the casino?  Loan sharking, increases in bankruptcy, prostitution, violent crime and murder. 

    Just wait until you get the Chinese gangs in here. If you all think the Cayman gangs are bad, wait until they set up shop. Do you all forget we STILL have a number of unsolved gang related murders?

    A casino is not the answer.  Look at the world around us.  They have casinos and how are they dealing with the world wide recession. Poorly.  We cannot afford to be folly-fashion here. We need to think outside the box AND insist on RESPONSIBLE Government officials who have INTEGRITY.

  3. Anonymous says:

    una sssshh and make them legalize and build  the darn thing… at least it would save us ticket money going to Miami to gamble in the casinos all the time…mi a highroller gambler mi either win big or lose big…lets gamble babyyyyyyyy

    • Anonymous says:

      If your local, that includes Caymanians, British, Canadians, Jamaicans, ……whoever lives here  'legally' will not be allowed in!  You will stil have to pay your way to Miami.  Then also see the visitors that will be allowed in from overseas and legally you won't be.  See upset you will be then…alot more than your message above.  Then there's always around the illegal isn't there?

  4. Anonymous says:

    I wonder why the Chamber chose not to reveal this little tidbit till now?  Could we hear from you and could you enlighten us as to the reason?   Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce = Chinese Investors Chamber of Commerce, or so it would seem.    You might have sold yourself when you accepted that expense-paid trip.   Should have funded that trip yourself or asked the member companies for the funds, rather than compromise your integrity and objectivity by accepting that expense-paid trip from CHEC.   I hope the Chamber will look deep within itself, find its mojo and remember those who actually make up their group and whose interests they are supposed to be protecting.  

  5. Anonymous says:

    Marl road in Jamaica says they imported their own hookers for their workers on the job sites.  If they will be running a casino here, likely they will import their own workers to run it.   Since prostitution, crime and money laundering are usually bedfellows with gambling, one would hate to think what else might be imported apart from the workers.  I wonder how those churches who benefited from the "nation-building fund" feel about the possible dangers associated with this.  Could we hear from some of them?

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, and marl road says when one of the road projects were completed recently in rural Jamaica, the workers and hookers were allowed to remain behind, living in the same barracks that were built for them to live in while the work was going on.  God only knows how long they will be allowed to continue living there, hope it is not permanently.  Don't need foreign hookers adding to the mix of problems already existing in JA.

  6. Mr Westbayer says:

    Cha ching!!

  7. Anonymous says:

    The love of money is the root of evil. We can do better for the community than casinos!

  8. Anonymous says:

    I'm giving 8-3 odds that Dart is the first to build a casino on Cayman.

  9. Anonymous says:

    How happy with the cruise ship be about a casino at the berthing facility. They want the cruise shippers gambling on the ship not on shore somewhere.

  10. Anonymous_A_woa says:

    I looked at the CHEC website and oddly enough nowhere on it has anything about the bid or projecthere in Cayman. Could this mean something?? Hmm………

    • Anonymous says:

      For the record and to clarify one of your bloggers comments. The cruise ships do not approve on shore construction or buildings,their approval relates to the infrastructure of the piers and the maneouvaribility of their ships.

      • Anonymous says:

        You are technically correct, but the cruise lines will not be happy with attempts to compete with their on-board casinos, especially if the casino will be right next to the berthing facility, so it would be prudent to rethink this one and/or discuss it with the cruise lines to gauge their feelings on this.  Remember who we are building these piers for.   Unless the plan down the road is to bring mainly Chinese cruise ships – which in that case, one would see why CHEC would even suggest a casino there.

  11. NeoSurvivor says:

    Feeling the Christmas sprit, even though there is little in this house to reflect it.    We are hopeful that good sense will govern these islands.   I admit, I don't see much of it in the plans of our leader, nor his actions in the past year(s).  

    If we open the doors to CHEC, their influence will grow on these islands to THEIR own benefit, not ours.   We need to stay with tendered agreements with companies that don't have an expansionist agenda.   We need to NEVER sign agreements that give away monies that belong here — not for one year, let alone 49 of them.   

    If the government signs an agreement that obligates us to ANY payments for 49 years, that is TWO generations of our people's future that they have sold.    Please, PLEASE don't allow this scrambling, overdebt, bumbling government administration sell our children's AND grandchildren's future.  

    I guess you know how I feel about a CHEC-backed casino.    I'm not necessarily against a casino, although I feel that the timing is all wrong to try and introduce one now.   There are unsavory elements that come with casinos, and we have those already……….. do we need more?   

    The Premier must realise that you cannot spend your way out of debt, no matter how grandiose the scheme.   This level of a project involves PLANNING, and RESEARCH, and not just lining the pockets of the few and selling out the many.    Much study is needed as to the rate of return, the cost of maintenance, the overhead, the cost of fuel and electricity WAY before we even get to the construction costs.    I don't think it's time for us.   

    We must guard against knee-jerk compliance in the face of an almost certain depressed economy.  We are going to have hard years.   It's a global occurrance, and the U.S. has just finished putting another 3-month band-aid on their economy in a time where hyperinflation is a certainty.   Don't let us go down the same road.   We have to conserve.   We have to take a longer view beyond this year.   Our current government cannot (or should not be able to) buy their way into our good graces and compliance with shiny trinkets.  

    Keep your refrigerator.   Keep your parking lots.   Keep you hands off my children's future.   Keep you sticky fingers out of the monies needed for infrastructure, and recognise that your efforts have not borne fruit for your people.   Have a heart.  Don't obligate us all to a worse future than [most of us] can imagine.  

    God Bless you all and keep you safe.    Pray for critical thinking.  

    Merry Christmas everyone;   I'll light a candle for my old friend who has been missing — Mr. Common Sense.   

  12. Anonymous says:

    NO CASINOS – WORLDWIDE LOTTERY – YES! purchase online or on island and if a non-resident wins government takes a certain small percent if you bank or invest your money in Grand Cayman. If you intend NOT too then you lose a higher percentage on your winnings. If you decide to bank your money or invest here it must stay on lean for at least 5 years. It might be an attractive offer since we have no direct income or property tax. Allowing online purchasing of tickets worldwide would help build up the pot! I would like to see not one winner but maybe split winners so to have more than one person leave there money here and it would open different spending or investment opportunities. Just sayin…

  13. Anonymous says:

    Look on the bright side..McKeeva won't need to travel to Vegas, Bahamas, etc.  He can stay home and stop wasting the people's money.  Oh wait, that might be worse.  We don't want him here. CHEC-no casino for you.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Will there be free booze at the casino?

  15. Anonymous says:

    casinos = human liberty……. funny how the chinese are teaching us about that…..

  16. Chris says:

    Anon 14:22 if you research a bit more you may be surprised to find that the casino at Atlantis in the Bahamas did not get that country our of their debt problem.

    To the contrary, their debt problem increased since the casino was built. I am not claiming cause and effect here, just stating the fact.

    Casinos will not get us out of our debt crisis here in Cayman either.

    Giving an alcoholic even more alcohol does not stop the addiction.

    We need politicians who are prudent spenders; representatives who are conservative with the public purse. After all, it is your money and my money they are spending.

     

  17. Anonymous says:

    Is it just me or were others unaware that the CHEC 'local representative' was such an obvious person to froont up a mammoth civil engineering project. Clearly not chosen to be a mouthpiece / figurehead but as someone who can talk athotriatively local to local!!!!  NB No criticism of him personally – but is this really his forte?

  18. anonymous says:

    Government real silent on this story!  Where is Project Leader Ellio Solomon now?? 

    • Anonymous says:

      Ellio is waiting for the Premier to prime him before making a statement.

    • Anonymous says:

      Like the sodja crab he has retreated to the safety of his whelk shell. Do you know why the sodja crab was born without a protective shell? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

    • Anonymous says:

      He was seen at a Chinese restaurant with Bush and some Chinese reps.

  19. What I see happenin' says:

    My guess is :

    1) Mac needed to settle the GLF debacle.

    2) CHEC cut a deal with GLF.

    3) CHEC now want a casino.

    4) CHEC get a casino because of Mac's incompetence (see 1).

    Since Dart has made a statement that they were not involved in any GLF deal, how about CHEC do the same thing  ????

  20. anonymous says:

    Now I know why they did not want to give the Sea Captains the time of day. Captain McCoy, you needed a big casino in Red Bay. Can you still add one on the island out there??

  21. Anonymous says:

    This would be an utter disgrace if the FCO allows this to proceed, especially with the FFR agreement now in place. The rules have clearly been circumvented and CIG seems to be bending over backwards for CHEC. In 4 months GLF produced plans with MINIMAL RETAIL and NO CASIINO which were approved by the cruise lines as well as had a sound financing plan in place with a highly reputable firm. If GLF were allowed a casino I am sure that they would have been able to promise the moon as well!

  22. Cheese Face says:

    I asume Mac and co will have to go to Vegas for a week to see how Casinos work?

    • Anonymous says:

      There is a reason why the word "assume" comes after a$$ in the dictionary.

  23. Anonymous says:

    So now we really know why CHEC is the way to go! Maybe Mac will stay home and gamble instead of flying around first class spending our money.

  24. Anonymous says:

    I thought Mac was going to bring the Casino issue to a referendum?  I bet he will not do it now.  I am sure he has promised this to the communist already and if he does it might get turned down by the people.

    He will just have to push it through himself, he does not want the wishes of the people interfering with his plans.

  25. Anonymous says:

     I bet you…(!)….The " Christian heritage " site will now HAVE to be turned into a car park to accommodate the casino visitors.

    • anonymous says:

      That idea there is a waste of $50,000,000 worth of property anyhow and now we know why…just setting them up for the casino license issue. They will be quieter than the church mice. 

    • Loopy Lou says:

      Would be a better use than Mac's vanity project.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Utterly Disgusting People

     

     

     

  27. Knot S Smart says:

    I dont think we need to worry about anyone putting a casino in Cayman because I understand that our Leader is a God Fearing, Bible Thumping, Christian Man. 

    I am confident that he would not let himself or any of us, even look inside the doors of a casino!

    He has demonstrated his Christanity by going against the will of the people to donate millions of our money to the churches – to do God's Work!

    So dont listen to those Communists and their plans to put a casino here…

    • Anonymous says:

      OMG the commies are coming hide the women and children they will steal Cayman from the Caymanians….oh wait Dart has already done that.Forget this post.

  28. Anonymous says:

    This is the best news I have heard in a long time! The income from the licences of one or two high-end casinos would solve this country's debt problems overnight. There is no down-side when compared with the obvious benefits; look at Atlantis in The Bahamas.

    • Anonymous says:

      Not in the hands of the Chinese.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, look at Atlantis in the Bahamas staggering from one bankruptcy to the next and just sold off to settle the developer's debts.

      Way to go Cayman!

    • Anonymous says:

      The country's debt problems can never be solved.  No matter how much government takes in they waste more.  Look at the charts in the Miller Report that shows government revenues increasnig every year for the past decade, but the increase in spending, and hence waste, increased more than the increase in revenues.

  29. Anonymous says:

    Gambling is a spiritual disease rooted in the love of money which is responsible for all kinds of evil. Quite simply, it is from the devil.

    Can I put it any plainer than that?

    • Sinin' Chicken says:

      I bet you can't put it any plainer than that.  6/5 on for no improvement.

    • Anonymous says:

      "spiritual disease rooted in the love of money" – sounds like MB alright

    • Anonymous says:

      I don't want to see a casino in Cayman, but what's really scarey about this post is the number of thumbs up for the contention that gambling a "spritual disease. . . from the devil"?  

    • Anonymous says:

      Well that says a lot about our leader then, doesn't it?

       

  30. Anonymous says:

    Gilbert must be happy. He has pushed for gambling for years but he calls it gaming.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Guys, calm down, pull back on the burners for a second and think about this – anyone with experience in the casino business (and there are many of them with winter homes in Cayman Kai who you can talk with on sunday in the rum point waters) will tell you that the Caymans do not support any decent casino….there is neither sufficient resident population, nor sufficient airlift, nor sufficient room inventory for stay-overs, to even bother getting involved in the gaming industry……if there was, we'd have had casinos 20 years ago……what's happening here is that people with too much money and too little experience are getting all excited about opening a casino or 3 on the island….and here's what will happen….they'll all go bust trying….because not only is the island too small for 3 of them, its too small for 1……so stop panicking….let them go and do the deals that are probably already promised and step back and laugh

    and while you're at it, take a look at every other cruise port in the caribbean and find the one that has a casino on it…….you won't……because they dont work….why? because the casino's are ont he ships…….the cruise ships aint going to allow a casino on the port unless they own it….and even then, highly unlikely.

    what we do need is to allow the cruise ships to open their casinos…that will keep them in dock long enough to enable the many non-gamers onboard to stay ashore and frequent our land-based entertainment attractions…….and perhaps govt could be really smart and do a deal with the cruise ships where residents of Cayman can pay a fee ($50??) to go and spend a few hours on the ship and gamble whilst its in dock…..

    that way, we don't "really" have gaming in Cayman, but we do facilitate it for those that want it….seems a fair compromise

    there is no point in building docks unless the ships stay tied to them….and they will if we let them open their stores and casinos…….wont harm anyone…….

    and if Ryan, dart, Bigmac and China all want to throw fortunes against building tiny little casinos, let them….cause they wont be long closing them down…..its all #'s……and there aint no #'s in this business in the caymans worth it.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      The Caymans? There is NO such place! Just like it is not "the Virgins" or "the Channels", we are in the Cayman Islands or Cayman.

      Thank you.

    • Anonymous says:

      "they'll all go bust trying…."

      As has been proven again and again with the way the government is run.  If they are going bust, they will use their influence on government to change the Cayman Islands to suit their needs, even if its only a temperairy fix.

    • anonymous says:

      You miss the "casino-on-the-dock" concept. When the ships are in harbour their casinos are closed. So….the real hard core gamblers will simply step off the ship and continue gambling onshore. Of course we hard core gamblers onshore will be there during the other hours. no need to do the highly illegal Numbers thing anymore or take those BA flights to Bahamas.

      The only bright side to this is that George Town WILL be busy after 5pm. Crime will be up but the lights will be bright.

       

      • Anonymous says:

        So why not charge a suitable licensing fee to permit them to operate their casinos in Cayman waters?

        That way you get the income but keep the hassles on the cruise ships. 

        All you got to do is work out what they are going to earn and ask for a sensible percentage of it – the financial state the cruise lines are in right now they'll do it.

    • Anonymous says:

      I think you are absolutely spot on. The ships will never stay overnight unless they can open their casinos. If they can stay overnight then  the opportunity to market Cayman experience as more than a whistlestop dash to Hard Rock and SMB opens up.

      I also agree that a casino on the Island couldn't possibly  make money but more importantly the inclusion of it (even if only ads a schematic) displays a very disturbing element of arrogance and / or naievete and / or insensitivity on the part of the developers – even those on Island who beleive that the exclusion of all forms of Gambling from Cayman is inappropriate / unnecessary will I am sure immediately concede that it is a matter of very real interest and conviction among a substantial element of the population and should not even be alluded to without a clear recognition of the need to consider and coonsult etc. Not a good sign for how their relationship with the Island may develop.

    • Dred says:

      Honestly I believe you do not know what you are speaking of.

      We could start by your saying if it was the case we would have had it 20 years ago. 20 years ago my friend NO ONE COULD HAVE DONE IT. We even struggle today to do it and we are far more open today to the idea than we ever were. The churchs have ruled this country for a really long time. So that was the first stupid thing to say.

      Cayman could support anywhere from 1 to 5 Casinos and I believe easily even with the concept that locals are not allowed to use the facility. If it were not the case do you honestly believe the Chinese would be looking to invest into it. To be honest the fact that we are small gives us the best chance for success. Do some reading. Be careful of BIASED reports and look for reports that show all the pros and cons not just the cons or just the pros.

      Let me also state that during the debating time when Gambling in Cayman was a hot topic and Big Mac was talking about a referendum there was several outside investors considering Cayman and making request. There were actually several current properties seriously considering modifications also.

      I won't say IF but I would say WHEN we get Casinos our tourism will show a significant increase and I believe it opens several avenues for Cayman to kick start tourism at traditionally low points with events geared around gambling such as Texas Holdem Tournaments where we would see many high rollers coming in here and possibly investing here.

      I would say we need to be especially careful of how the Chinese are developing this project. If the Chinese are allowed to build:

      Casinos

      Hotels

      Restaurants

      Stores

      Then tourist coming from the boats may never leave the "Upland" segment of the project leading to all of the revenues staying in the Chinese hands. Instead of BOOSTING Cayman's revenues it could in fact DESTROY it.

      Studies I have read were especially concerned about Hotels/Casino/Restaurant combos simply because tourist who tend to go to these facilities rarely leave the complex itself. In a scenario like this we would see airfare, taxi and hotel taxes but not much else. It was so importantly noted that places like Luisiana would only register Casinos without Hotels or Restaurants.

      Our Government really needs to do some research before fully signing on to this project.

    • Anonymous says:

      If the casinos are built and then start losing money, what do you want to bet that the Cayman Government will subsidise them.

       

      What are the odds? 3 to 1? 5 to 1? 10 to 1?

  32. Dred says:

    It's really amazing that we the people could not get something like this done but the Chinese will. This is what is messed up right now about this country. The values and desires of the people are of no real importance. What it takes is someone else suggesting it to make it have some value.

    People this is a done deal. I am betting that Big Mac will now bring this issue to the table again and make it look like he is only following thru on the desires of the Caymanian people when in fact he is only doing it because the Chinese have interest in seeing it done. Watch my words…!!!

    Let me say this and be 100% clear. I am for Casinos in Cayman and it's not because I am a gambler, because I am not. it's because I see it as a direct (Licenses and other revenues) and Indirect (Tourism) income source for the people of the Cayman Islands. I can see EVENTS around the gambling aspect being featured here that would attract the kinds of clientelle that is more suited for the Cayman islands such as high rollers who have money. It would kick start construction again.

    Besides that we also have the aspect of being able to generate some funds from current gambling that is happening everyday in the Cayman Islands and having funds to properly regulate it.

    My problem is that when US CAYMANIANS stand up and say HERE this is an IDEA for you to look at. It's not given the proper attention it deserves then we find ourselves in situations like we are now where the UK is sitting over us like bulldogs ready to pounce because we didn't do what we needed to do.

    Worst off is the fact that we would even consider looking at Oil Refineries and not give this the light of day. We would consider some form of taxation and not give this the time of day. People these two things above are DEATH TRAPS for Cayman. Gambling is a way to RE-ESTABLISH the Cayman Islands as a leader in TOURISM in the Caribbean.

    • R.U. Kidden says:

      Dred, I'll have to disagree with you.  Gambling will enrich the insiders and give little if anything to the Caymanian people, other than offer more crime and graft and perhaps more political payola for their esteemed leaders.  Look at the places that have legalized gambling.  Are the citizens reaping great benefits?  Sadly, they are not.

      • Dred says:

        Actually yes they are. it just depends on where you look. Many of these areas have shown huge decreases in unemployment. The government also saw significant increases in incone.

        The problem is that there is so much tainted informayion ouy there for and against it it becomes hard to get an accurate picture but i have found enough info to tell me that if done correctly it can benefit the people of the Cayman Islands.

        To me the issue is not IF gambling CAN help the Cayman Islands but that I am concerned that our government will mess it up due to lack of research and proper planning as they have with everything else.

        Allowing CHEC to have casino, hotels & restaurants is a really BAD idea. Many tourist will not leave this area and actually visit the Cayman Islands.

        If done right we can show benefit.

    • anonymous says:

      Sorry Dred, Total nonsense…Gambling will not establish the Cayman Islands as leader of anything. Just about every little island and cay in the Caribbean has a casino now. Some even tucked into discount shopping malls. Puerto Rico, Sint Maarten, Bahamas, Antigua, Aruba, Dom Rep, Curacuo, Barbuda, Nevis, Jamaica, Martinque, US Virgin Islands, etc…And they all have very developed tourist products and phenomenon environments on top of it.

      Cayman needs to decide what it is and what it wants to be then "just do it". Forget about silly gimmicky slogans like "CaymanKind" which is really meaningless. This idea even comes with out-of-focus photos on its website- (I know, on purpose)

      Cayman needs to first off appreciate the tourist and what they bring here. Telling them we are "kind" when they do not experience "kindness" will not work. It was not until the 1990s when the Bahamas figured that out and they had casinos there then for 25 years. It took them over 15 years to get back on track through hard work and training of the locals to appreciate the tourist.

      We need to improve our hotels and guest rooms. We need two or three five star hotels. We need to clean up the island- garbage everywhere now. We need to get rid of peddlers on the dock.( they already know they are in the caribbean, no need to show them the coconuts)  We need to completely rebuild our civil aviation arrivals (we have millionaires in private jets arriving to a small 1970's zinc shed)   We need to create real cultural attractions. We need to develop our eastern districts and sister islands into unique and 'branded' experiences. We need to get back to communicating with our guests like we want them here. We need to have a Minister of Tourism that is only focused on tourism- the chief cannot do it all, no one can….and I could go on.

      After we get all of those things in place, we can think about casinos. Until then the casinos would just add to our mess and certainly not make us any better a destination than we are now- certainly not a leader in anything but our own minds.

      Moral. "Fix the basics first and then look toward the embelishments later"

      • Dred says:

        What you speak of is nonsense.

        The Cayman Islands is a country that has always catered to the upper echelon clients and it is that along with being Tax free that will attract people to these Islands.

        We will have Gambling now that the Chinese want it.

        You are so simple minded. What do you think will happen when it opens up? We will have those 5 star hotels popping up. Much like the Mandarin was ready to open up others will follow suit.

  33. anonymous says:

    I can see it now.

    1. Hotel built with big conference room or big spa or something like that.

    2. CHEC says after 6 months they need more revenue, cant make numbers work

    3. Governemnt says they reluctant but agree to "only Cruise ship passenger" casino to help.

    4. Ritz and Dart apply for license also as result but "only for tourists"

    5. Casinos arrive before the Nation Building churches have a clue. Macau 2 born.

    Maybe I am wrong but this seems 'logical' to me. Personally I want to know what this is all about. Too much secrecy around this project before and now this. We have not even seen the Environment study.

    • Anonymous says:

      The chamber is full of Bush cronies piling him up with foolish advise. They knew about the Casinos all along. CHEC will get a 20% ROI atleast which means a Break-even of 5 years. And they have another 45 years of pure profits!! And guess what CHEC is licking their chops at the prospective pay-off.

      As an alternative …why not the govt.issue infrastructure bonds for $150 million – sell it to Caymanias and local residents.There are hundreds of Hedge funds and Private equity looking for sovereign debts to invest in. If there are cost overruns then isue equity and convert the port  to a public/ private sector unit. After all this PSU( public sector unit) will serve the nation a lot better than the two subsidised monsters – Botswain and Cayman Airways does. Two big thumbs down to Mckeeva and Chamber.

      Stop this CHEC non-sense straighatway.

    • Anonymous says:

      Confucious say.

      " Only way Caymanian get lookee in casino..if chink in curtain "

      • Not a racist says:

        Racial jokes are never funny. Seriously. It’s just not funny. Talk politics and bitch about side-deals if you want, but being a racist simply makes you look like an ass(hole). Try better jokes, like the one about yourMother. Your mother is so fat, when she jumped for joy, she got stuck. OK, thank you.

  34. Anonymous says:

    Now the church "nation building" bribes make sense, got to get that lot on your side for this

  35. Anonymous says:

    McSkulldugerBush really doesn't help himself knowing full well what the details are but not having them divulged in the approriate manner.  The man would be blazened with such "card sleeving" antics during an American West poker game at yet wonders why of the outcry to his "ongoing investigation". – No respek trusting self respek is limited too, disgraceful.

  36. anonymous says:

    Do not forget Leader of Opposition, Mr. Alden supported this downtown also. Thought it was funny Premier thanked him for first time I remember…..I sure hope he did not know about the Casino too.

  37. Anonymous says:

    By what I understand, the Ritz is already equipped for a casino – it was built into the plans, just waiting for the green light to start rolling that dice!

  38. Anonymous says:

    I bet the Premier has already promised the Casino.

    • anonymous says:

      He probably did that on his last trip to Macau!  This is a crazy story. Time for a change at the top. He must have gone loopy.

  39. anonymous says:

    Given the amount of discussions and tripsthe Government has had with CHEC they would have known about this for sure. No denying this now. CHEC even showed this to our Chamber of Commerce!!  Cannot wait to hear the government's explanation for that one. Thank you CNS. You are the best. That one almost slipped us by.

  40. anonymous says:

    I wonder what the good folks across the road at Elmslie Memorial Church will say about a 24/7/365 casino there. Not to talk about the poor Seamen's Memorial right in front of the casino door.  Cayman, we really need to stop this CHEC "deal" now, once and for all.

  41. anonymous says:

    By the time this gets to Cayman it will probably say "Spa" or "Conference Room" or something like that!!

    Unbelievable. We are now truly finding out why "CHEC is the only way to go".

  42. Anonymous says:

    If you do go down the casino route restrict it to visitors only because I've seen what happens when gambling gets a grip on a local community. It is devastating. People lost everything, families got broken up, theft increased as people try to cover their debts and there were several suicides. In the end mainland gambling was again banned and restricted to casino boats operating in international waters, then the violence started with owners of the boats settling disputes with sub-machineguns.

    Leave gambling to people who either have enough money to afford to lose it or whose financial ruin will not impact on the local community.

    Gambling is also a great cover for money laundering, which is probably why the Chinese are so keen on it. There's no better way to hide all your kickbacks than lose the money at the tables of your own casino.

    And if the CoP is worried about gang violence in the drugs trade (see other story) he should remember that organised crime, drugs, prostitution and gambling all go hand in hand so this is not a smart move from a law enforcement perspective.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Heard on the marl road that after one of the projects in Jamaica were finished, some of the chinese workers wanted to remain behind with some of the chinese hookers "comfort ladies" their company brought over to keep the workers happy. 

    • Anonymous says:

      As for the Chamber of Commerce, it is so funny how you forgot to mention this important little detail till now – you have lost your credibility – why not change your name to Chinese Chamber of Commerce?  How you can accept an expenses paid trip from that company in the first place, is mind-boggling to say the least – how can you possibly remain neutral and objective if you accept such an expense-paid trip?   Do you not have member companies that could have sponsored you?  

  43. Special Needs Donkey says:

    Think people. Think.

    If we build our own casino, the Premier and his entourage will no longer have to go to Paradise and Luxor to conduct important national "bidness".

    The travel/hotel expense savings for the country will be huge.

    Bar Tender! CHEC please!

     

  44. Anonimus says:

    Yeah.  That's what we need.  More drinking and gambling.  How about brothels?  Why not goall the way??? 

  45. Anita Justice says:

    There is a West Bay idiom that comes immediately to mind and that is “a fart underwater may not be known immediately to those around, but when it surfaces everyone will know

     

    I guess this is the reason why CHEC was a better deal, shortly it will be announced that Dart’s new Five Hotel to be situated on the current West Bay Road cannot be successful if it does not feature a Casino as well. I “bet” Dart will probably use the Constitution specifically Section 19.—(1) “All decisions and acts of public officials must be lawful, rational, proportionate and procedurally fair” to bolster their request for a Casino License if McKeeva allows CHEC to have one. I will too if that will be the case!

     

    By the way; if this Casino License is a probability, the proposed Lease Term is way too long, consequently it must be reduced to not more than twenty (20) years!  

    • anonymous says:

      I am sure the calculators in China just got busy recalculating the ROI. Now we know why there was "no guarantee to repay to CHEC"! Can you imagine?

  46. Anonymous says:

    Brilliant!  Best news in a long time, run it right, keep out corruption and Cayman will be able to afford to pay it's bills.

     

  47. Anonymous says:

    Now the truth comes out. Mac wants to sell Cayman to the Chinese to turn us into Macao West. Thank you CNS for bringing the truth to light, and shame on the Chamber for omitting such a relevant detail.

    Rather than omitting that important detail, they are more than likely complicit with Mao Tse Bush in attempting to hide that information.

  48. anonymous says:

    Now we know why there is so much being hidden about this CHEC project and why  it has to go in George Town. Thank you CNS for noticing that. Thank You. The truth will always come out.

  49. Anonymous says:

    Nowthe truth starts to come out.  Mac has been after gambling all along .  I am sure he will bypass the people on this issue also.  What else has he determined is in our best interest without consulting us?

  50. Anonymous says:

    Build the casino first! Imagine how many "jobs for caymanians" that will create. I believe thats the line that the Premier uses when he pushes through his controversial schemes.

    • Anonymous says:

      The casino will be run with chinese labour, just like they will do with their construction. The casino will take money from Caymanians and our visitors to make the chinese government even richer.

      • Anonymous says:

        Last casino I visited was in the Middle East and, like all casinos in that area, locals were barred from the premises. In fact the staff were all European and it wasn't anything to do with religion – the locals just weren't trusted to be part of what was going on. 

        CHEC will import everyone because that's the only way operations (spelt scams) like this run. You'll have a few token Caymanians on the payroll to keep everyone happy but the real work will done by outsiders.

         

  51. Anonymous says:

    They should just partner with  Dart,if Dart wanted to build a casino it would be done with no questions from the Government.Remember what Dart wants Dart gets.It no longer matters what the people of Cayman want .

  52. yup yup says:

    wont be long before we legalize Gambling. Many Caymanians have wanted to setup a casino here, but CHEC is going to get first dibs at this while the locals get nothing. the sooner we get the UDP out of here the better. 

  53. Anonymous says:

    Come on its been 3 years and millions already wasted. Get it going and that casino over in the Brac and that will boost Cayman Airways also. It will boost everything over in the Brac.

    • Bracca says:

      Dunno if you meant it for a joke but it sure is a good idea we really need something up ya!

  54. Anonymous says:

    The people need to know how much retail space is proposed for the of the CHEC development.

     

    Were the total retail space in George Town to be doubled or more, the results would be catastrophic for those who have made huge investments over the decades.

     

    Why is it always so hard for the public to get the facts about a proposal that will affect every single retail operation in George Town and the investment of hundreds of millions of their money?

     

    I understood that McKeeva disliked the Dart project partly because of its inclusion of a huge retail element. It is essential that this matter be clarified for those whose financial  lives depend on it.

     

  55. Anonymous says:

    We need a hotel in George Town but a casino would attract all the wrong sorts of people.  No cowboy hats down here thanks.

    • anonymous says:

      Not sure why we need a hotel in George Town. The place is dead after 5pm and there is no reason to put a hotel there as 90% of the business there are now related to the daytime cruise business. 

      It is extremely strange that this "hotel" popped up on a cruise ship pier, being built in an area that cannot be used as a home berth due to its exposed location. Very curious.

      I for one will ask about this hotel when Ellio Solomon completes his "negotiation" with CHEC on our behalf. Something is very strange about this hotel. It was clearly a Casino from day one.

  56. Bruce says:

    What a great idea.  If we had a couple of casinos on the island it would bring in thousands of people a year That would be great for the economy and if properly regulated there is no down side GO FOR IT

    • Anonymous says:

      No down side?

      What planet are you living on?

      Casinos attract exactly the sort of people a well-regulated offshore banking provider does not need.

      If you open up the islands to gambling you can kiss the banking industry goodbye.

  57. Anonymous says:

    Why is it that we always finding out what is really going in Cayman in Jamaica? Obviously Bush told the Chinese that it is just a matter of time before casinos are legalised. I wonder how his pastors who have been supporting him even from the pulpit feel about that?  

    • R.U. Kidden says:

      How do they feel?  Money talks, my friend.  Money talks.  Money heals all wounds.

  58. Return of the Mac says:

    Unna tink Mac fool. He done sweeten up the churches wid a lil 4 mil.

  59. Anonymous says:

    AAAHHH!!! Now we begin to see Mckeeva's/CHEC's motivation. George Town merchants will not only now have to compete with 100,000+ sq. ft. of new retail, they will also have to compete with a casino!!! It is becoming quite clear that the only people who are going to benefit from CHEC's plan are the Chinese!!!

  60. Knot S Smart says:

    Now we hear that there is a casino involved?

    That should answer our questions as to why we switched from GLF to CHEC.

    Now we can stay at home and gamble our new found wealth – rather than so many trips to Vegas and other casino destinations.

    • Anonymous says:

      I would rather give my moneyto Las Vegas than to the communist/human rights violating Chinese government!

  61. Anonymous says:

    Makes me laugh:  The Premier rattling on about protecting our businesses in GT when all along the MOU with CHEC calls for ". . .restaurants, a dive shop, a covered two storey shopping area where passengers will pass through before alighting in George Town," all to be owned and manage by CHEC to recoup their capital investment.  And a casino?  Now that will be interesting!  The churches will certainly oppose that change in the law, and probably use some of the $4M given to them by gowerment to fight campaign!