Dart buys 7MB hotel
(CNS): Despite denying that the company had purchased the Courtyard Marriott to CNS on 6 January, Dart Realty announced on Wednesday afternoon (19 January) that it that it had in fact bought the derelict hotel. At a groundbreaking ceremony for Camana Bay’s latest commercial building officials from the company revealed that the group had not only purchased the West Bay Road hotel but had also purchased the 232 acres of land formerly held by developer Stan Thomas. Although officials did not reveal any specific plans for the hotel and the land, Jim Lammers, Managing Director of Dart Realty and a director of Dart Enterprises, said the property presented a great opportunity for development.
Less than two weeks ago CNS contacted the communications manager at Dart Enterprizes and asked if Dart had purchased the hotel and the land and if so what plans were afoot for the property. However, the communications manager said that Dart had not bought the hotel or the land.
The future of the hotel had been in question for some time as it has been deserted since Hurricane Paloma in November 2008, when the former owners said it was being closed because of damage incurred during the storm, although the reason was disputed by many when the staff were soon laid off and the beach front bar was also closed.
Together with the derelict former Hyatt, the loss of the Courtyard Marriott represented a significant reduction in the number of beds on island and raised further concerns in the tourism sector of the poor impression the property gave, given its prominent position on the Seven Mile Beach stretch.
It is not yet clear whether Dart intends to re-vamp the hotel in its current position or whether it will be looking to tear the property down and start again.
When he owned the property, Thomas had reportedly asked the government to move the West Bay Road so that the hotel would not be dissected from the beach but it is understood that the previous administration had refused the request. It remains to be seen if Dart will be making the same request of the current government.
Category: Headline News
The recent purchase by Dart Management of the Marriott abandoned property is an excellent move, and despite some local criticism a more positive view coming from the public would be more helpful to our society at this time in our country’s history. Hopefully there are plans being put in place in consideration of employment for those 2,000 plus individuals that are out of work who could be given the opportunity to train for various positions in the hospitality industry.An excellent recommendation of investment for Dart to consider, is to transform this property into a Model Hotel Training School while at the sametime maintain and build a reputation as a most prestigious world class tourist resort in the Caribbean.Perhaps a portion of the property could even be reserved for resident hotel staff or student living quarters as well. There’s definitely great potential.
As our leaders are organizing for Cayman we urge them to keenly observe and adapt the principals of good working partnerships like Jackson Memorial Hospital together with the University of Miami which provides World Class State of the Art Medical services to individuals globally. Perhaps Dart Management would consider engaging in a partnership for Employee Training and Development with the Cayman Islands government Labor Office in providing hospitality training for the local people and keeping our people employed in the hotel industry which can only yield positive results, help reduce poverty and crime, at the same time placing a considerably huge dent into the current unemployment.
Pardon my naivete’ but does anyone know why Dart is buying up all of this land, properties, liquor distributorships and other businesses? (which we as Caymanians are selling to him by the way)
Presumably he doesn’t have to make a profit as anyone else would have to do and his expenditures appear to far exceed his income (in Cayman at least)…
Supposedly he has money to burn and more than the majority of us could possibly comprehend… I don’t know the man so I don’t know if he is just plain avaricious and has to own everything in sight…
So why? to what advantage? what could he possibly gain from "owning" an island in the Caribbean? We may have at one time been one of the richest and safest islands but that is no longer true; we certainly aren’t the most beautiful (yes, I am Caymanian but I’m not blind to our shortcomings!)….
Can anyone answer my question?
The Dart group has come to stay on this island. Let us work together to get what is best for cayman to succeed.
Cool.
We can’t afford to complete the building of our high school to educate our children but we can facilitate the making of the largest beachfront for a hotel on the island.
Wonder if he will build Cabanas and additional villas
Here’s a tip; move the pool out of the shade in the back to the front of the building.
Unnah complaining about Dart!?!? Wait until the Chinese finishes with the North Sound….The Cayman Crater. Right now the only thing holding 7MB together is the roads, wait until another Ivan like Hurricane blows ashore. I recall then, when the boats were blown almost across to the 7MBeach, we will see houses floating there next time and then we will become Islands of 4, as West Bay will be seperated. Thanks McKeeva!!! Great West Bay Investment. Hope your Yatchs goes too.
Anyone have any idea where these 232 acres are located?
Oh just let him buy as much of Cayman as he wants, we can’t stop him now (thanks to the big one who gave him the power to do as he wants), & we so fool-fool we are stupidly allowing him to do so. But the good thing is that he can buy as much as he wants but he can’t take it with him. Whether you believe in Heaven, hell or nothing we all shall die & he cannot take any of it with him. So I say let him buy it all, who cares? It is all about GREED, POWER & selfishness but he cannot take it with him!
The west part of the Yacht club and property to the north and east of salt creek pretty much to Batabano Rd and east to North Sound. (The dike roads mostly)
Stan had planned a golf course community in there and there was always a rumour that this is where the first casino would be located (behind WB fire station)
Cay Compass 28 Jun 2006
Thomas Completes Yacht Club Acquisition
Atlanta-based mega developer Stan Thomas, the man behind a major acquisition of land in the west in Cayman, has now completed buying the Cayman Islands Yacht Club.
The acquisition, according to local real estate sources, “closes the doughnut, fills the hole” in Thomas’s broad property purchases, which exceed 300 hundred acres of prime real estate along West Bay Road from the Yacht Club to Morgan’s Harbour.
The Yacht Club parcel covers between five acres and 10 acres, which Thomas, according to one Real Estate agent, has had under contract for about six weeks. The developer is understood to have exercised the option last week. “It’s closed now. He’s getting close to finishing his property acquisitions,” said one realtor. the addition of the Yacht club his portfolio unifies Thomas’s previous patchwork of local acquisitions and boosts the value of his investment, exceeding $ 100 million, in Cayman property, setting the stage for a major development, said to include a major-brand five star hotel, an 18-hole golf course, waterfront villas and a broad range of commercial enterprises.
The next stage in the process will be the drafting of a Master Plan, setting out in more specific terms Thomas’s vision for the area. The Cayman Observer can reveal that local architect firm Chalmers, Gibbs, Martin and Joseph (CGMJ), has been hired to create the master plan.
Thomas himself is scheduled to fly to Cayman in mid-July for a series of meetings with real-estate brokers and CGMJ architect Arek Joseph to review the terms of the development and explore local sentiment.
Joseph is currently on vacation in the UK and was unavailable for comment this week. Some of that sentiment is less than accommodating, however, with some conservative Caymanians already expressing concern about the scale of the potential development.
Derrington “Bo” Miller an election candidate for North Side in 2005 and the head of North Side Tourism Council, said that “unrestricted development” and lack of regard by both the government and community for the local environment and future had forced him to plan permanent self-exile from Cayman.
He despaired of the Thomas development: “The infrastructure isn’t even there, ” he said. Runaway development would “ruin this country. The Government is going to run [it] into bankruptcy”. Miller emerged as a vocal opponent of the planned Mandarin Oriental Hotel in North Side and is regarded as an advocate of preserving the traditions and appearance of Cayman.
“There’s a line from an old country and western song that goes, “I know she loves me, but I don’t think she likes me anymore,” he said. Caymanians have lost their country and no one seems to care. It would take a dictator to turn this around,” he said. “I am making plans to spend the rest of my life someplace else.”
His preferred home is Dunedin, Florida, a town of 35,000 on the Gulf Coast, where the Toronto Blue Jays baseball Team gathers for spring training. Miller contrasts Dunedin, Florida, with Cayman: “they don’t allow developers to control them,” he said. “They have turned them away. They are trying to preserve what they have.”
Source: Caymanian Compass (28th June 2006)
It’s great to know that this property will be enhanced it is just such an eyesore!!! Hopefully it will remain as an affordable hotel – we have enough high end ones and the middle-income tourists are the ones we need to cater to.
Too bad though that Dart isn’t interested in the Hyatt. Hyatt is a health hazard and a disgrace to our country – moldy walls, trees growing through it, a hotel for iguanas and rats. I cannot understand why Government has not told the Hyatt’s owners to level the property so it’s just raw land – it would be a lot better than looking at the craphole it is now.
It’s been 6 years since Ivan, even the poorest people in this country have rebuilt but we’re letting this multi-millionaire ignore the place and it keeps getting worse. The matter comes up and dies down again – the owner isn’t here to see it daily like we all are. Insurance settlement, lawsuits, etc are no excuses – this property needs attention NOW! One dump in the area is bad enough. Come on Government – stop ignoring this matter and get tough!
Yes, and while they are at it get the front of Rackhams tidied up now – that is another building that is a huge eyesore!
Who says he isn’t interested? For now he would be buying a liability since the insurance claim is, I believe, still in contention…
I hope he renovates the hotel and builds a golf course. North Sound will soon be unavailable to the public, an all inclusive resort with nice course will attract valuable tourism and $
76 Sq Miles rapidly disappearing and you really think another golf course is a good idea?
Lets start thinking hundreds of years in the future and not just the next decade. Our beautiful land is too precious for such foolishness.
At least when land is reserved for golf courses, it is still beautiful, and available for other purposes in the future. Other types of development involve lots of lots of concrete…
Actually yes it is a good idea. Most golf courses now are designed "eco-friendly" and manage their water systems in line with the natural habitat.
If you don’t think the island needs another golf course then you have no idea about the tourism market and what almost every other Caribbean country offers.
Golf is a rich man/woman’s game and with more courses available it would generate much needed stay over tourism thereby boosting local small businesses connected with the industry!
Just look at Bermuda!
Ok so you’re saying develop, develop, develop… have you been to the other caribbean islands??? part of the charm is the LACK of development!
If someone jumped off a cliff would you go and do it too? Why do we have to follow and do what others are doing and develop Cayman into oblivion?
Besides when the tourists have finished their 1 wk vacation we still have to live in Cayman….
No that’s not what the poster was saying!
Structured development (also re-development) is required in order for Cayman to keep its tourism product. A golf course is completely different to concrete monsters which have been put up recently!
Just look at Bermuda?! Yes look at their nearly nonexistent forests and overpopulated land. Money is only temporary happiness my friend and trust me, they are going to have some serious regrets a few generations from now.
And so will we.
Great News, finally that eye sore has been purchased. I am at times opposed to Dart buying every piece of plot in Cayman yet I know that he’ll make this a 5 star resort and will create new jobs. I asked in an earlier post that the redevelopment of Hyatt and Marriott Courtyard would be a positive kick for the Cayman economy. Get the Renaissance, St. Regis or if Mac is rumoured to say a Bulgari Hotel.
Thanks Dart Cayman
look out for mckeeva to try and claim credit for this in the coming weeks….he’ll say it’s another sign of his stimulus plan working….zzzzz
Talk bad about Dart all you want but they are currently the ones who are making a real difference and they put thier money where thier mouth is. Check this out from Cayman 27 today and show me a Born Camanian who giving as much to the Community.
BREAKING NEWS: Dart capping dump
Dart Realty will be capping the Cayman Islands Landfill as well as providing government with an alternate site of equal acreage.
The announcement was made today by Premier, the Honourable McKeeva Bush at the Cayman Business Outlook, a one-day forum being held at the Ritz-Carlton
The Premier also announced that the Cayman Islands government will re-route the West Bay Road if Dart Reality fixes and develops the Courtyard Marriott and Yacht Club, giving them equal or greater beach space.
Wow! This is a bit of a turnaround. What happened to Wheelabrator?
Not sure why you have given a thumbs- down here. Just asking a simple question…I haven’t even made any kind of comment!
Does anyone know the answer?
The difference he is making is a monopoly. Monopolies are not good… He is no benevolent dictator, stop being naive.
So I guess he just should be allowed to buy property that noone else seems to show an interest in. Now how will that benefit Cayman with this eye sore just sitting there as it’s been for the longest time.
Haters always have a lot to say, The are made up of talkers not do’ers.
Dart Enterprises are the kind of folks that make things happen…They are Do’ers and I applaud them.
"So I guess he just should be allowed to buy property that noone else seems to show an interest in."
Did I say anywhere he shouldn’t?
I’m just not fooling myself into thinking everything Dart does is good for the country as a whole. Your lack of critical thinking scares me.
‘Haters’… seriously? what a joke.
Hotel + Casino?
Thank God for Mr. Dart.
This sale and the revamp of the hotel is just the sort of injection our economy needs.
Mr. Dart had better thank God. Only in Cayman would he come across such opportunities.
This is clearly not true. Mr. Dart has made investments in several other countries.
…and check what Argentina is saying….
It is critical to Cayman’s future to encourage development, both commercial, residential and tourism.
The trickle-down economics of development are hugely beneficial to so many businesses and people; from stamp duty, planning, construction, service trades, professionals and on going employment and support.
Cayman has an under developed tourism product. Simply put, tourists would rather go somewhere else because we do not have the facilities and amenities here to draw them to our shores.
We can change that. We can encourage responsible development that will benefit all.
Everything the Dart family have done for Cayman has been 1st Class. They are good neighbors and corporate citizens.
I urge you to look at all the positives that come from this for Cayman’s sake – for Cayman’s future.
He should now donate it to Govt, to run and to train those interested in the Hiospitality Industury. That would be great revenue for Govt. Then Cayman Islands would have their National Official Resort.
Donate it to Government? Great revenue for Government? Don’t you think he is doing more than enough for Cayman – he is a business man, not a charity to Government.
National Official Resort? What’s that?
GOOD FOR DART!! I THINK THIS IS GREAT. NOW HOPEFULLY HE WILL RESTORE THE HOTEL AND THIS MEANS JOBS FOR EVERYONE! Caymanians should look at this as a POSITIVE move for the island. Who else has the means to do this! Don’t look down on Dart. At least the man is doing something, unlike our Government!!! Now only if he had a police force……
How interesting , an expat company buys a resort and everybody rejoices . So much for not needing the expats .
12:36 No One said we did not need expats ever, because one of my best friend happens to be one. And have worked alongside some wonderful ex pats with whom we had a good time while seriously working and teaching each other.What we don’t need the on going, contineous provoquing sometimes barbaric comments that some whom ever they are make on a daily baisis.Unhappy about Caymanians, living here ,our culture( not Cosmopalitan enough for some) all we ask is for respect and for you to enjoy your stay while you are a guest of our country. Remember when you first came ? Sweet hay!!Well keep remembering the good things and please re-read my post on this subject (Dart buys resort) and specially on Mr. Alden McLauglin being unchallenged this far as Leader of the Opposition and then you may understand a thing or two.
Respecfully,
Michel Lemay
I believe Mr. Dart is Caymanian.
Darty, turn it into an all-inclusive resort!!! Cayman is in desperate need of one of those, we must be the only tourist island in the Caribbean without an all-inclusive resort!!!
Guests tend not to leave all-inclusive resorts. Ie, they don’t eat at other restaurants, use other water sports operators, venture off the property etc. Similarly, many of our weekly cruise ships could arrive here much earlier in the morning to give more time on island, but it was found that there was no point because guests tended to stay on board anyway to notch the breakfast in their meal plan.
Say what you will about Dart, but the man is one of the very few people on this island (Caymanian or non-Caymanian) who truly invests his money into bettering the Cayman Islands, improving the facilities here, bringing in visitors and still manages to incorporate Caymanian culture into the mix.
Camana Bay alone is filled with plants, trees and flora that are native or indigenous to Cayman.It’s one of the few shopping areas that has numerous areas for children to play and learn and also offers quiet tucked-away spots great for reading and socializing with friends. Where else on Cayman can you find that?
Dart developed the South Sound Dart Park, offering our community a really lovely place to gather with our family and even better, re-developed the WB Scholars Park when it was left in shambles.
He’s sponsored many a local event – big and small – and provided a venue for local artists (musicians, poets, painters, writers etc) to share their work with the community.
Fairly new to the mix is the Farmer’s Market, where local farmers and vendors can sell their products to locals and visitors in a much more intimate setting and in an easier venue to access than the Market at the Grounds.
I could go on and on – and I’m sure there are a host of other things that he’s involved in unbeknownst to us – but you can’t argue the fact that the man is bettering this community.
Let’s be frank, while the Fosters and Kirkconnells have substantial incomes from their very many businesses, how often do you hear them giving back to the community in a similar context? Find me a Caymanian that has used his resources in the same regard and I’ll shut up…until then, I commend Dart – this foreignor, this man who has no family ties to this island – for coming into a foreign community and trying to make a positive difference.
I’m interested to see what he does with Courtyard Marriott (and the other property he has bought) and so should you.
P.S. Yes I’m Caymanian (4 generation) and no, I don’t work for Dart or any of his entities.
Mr. Dart is no "savior" of Cayman. Despite the fact that is wallet is as big as Cayman, it is quit interesting to know a little bit more about them. Have a look at Wikipedia…I guess he is the type of "savior" Cayman deserve
Cause Wikipedia – written by the general public, OFTEN either with an aim for gain or an axe to grind, should be considered gospel….
Speaking of GOSPELS, shouldn’t you go back to believing everything happened just as the good book says… Snakes, apples, floods and saviours – not to be a total anarchist, but seriously, some people will believe ANYTHING they read – even more so when it is on the internet….
PS – Can you send me your bank account number, password and secret code – we have had a breach and I need to fix it for you – nocharge of course!!!
WIKI – WAKI – WOOKI…. Some of it is useful, a lot of it is true, a very large amount of it is propaganda and campaigns driven by vendettas. Dart is no saint – but so many saints also had skeletons in their closets…
Best news Cayman has had for years!
Well done Mr. Dart and Co. I for one appreciate what you have done for Cayman. Many will call this monopoly, I see it as a wise business long term decision. Because of your long term vision and quality planning to the end Cayman can only benefit from it. It is thrue that Cayman Brac could use some of your vision as well. I am aware that you once tried but don’t give up on it. Wish we had more of you because it would mean more jobs for our locals wich is very important at this time of hardship. What I admire most about you and yours Sir, no matter what happens you don’t give up on us and for that we are grateful.
This isn’t "Pottersville" (It’s a wonderful life, Jimmy stuart) story. Dart is powerful, but folks, Camana Bay speaks for itself.
Thomas paid north of $150 million for those properties. At bargain prices Dart still paid at least $100 million… lets not forget the stamp duties the government just picked up on this transaction.
Agree with other poster. Turn West Bay road up behind the hotel just before the public beach with a slight bend toward the bypass and then bring it back down just the other side of the hotel.
This makes the Courtyard an oceanfront property and slows traffic down along West Bay Road… it also would make a round-about much easier to do to join the bypass and West Bay Road traffic.
Government could sell the road rights to Dart for $10 million, they’re worth it and have Dart build the rerouted West Bay Road around the back of the hotel.
This is a win/win/win/win, Cayman, locals, tourists… government.
It’s actually even easier than that, they can just block access past the hotel by re-routing traffic through the already constructed road directly in front of the Public Beach, then you’d turn up and use the by-pass and head out through the road by St. Mathew’s student housing building. This would also allow an expansion of the Public Beach as well.
They could move the entrance to the hotel over to the road leading up to/down from the by-pass on the left-hand side (if facing the hotel) therefore allowing total and complete undisturbed beach front access 🙂
Hope Dart brings some investment our way over on the Brac! We need all the help with this little dieing island we can get!
Everytime I hear that Cayman Brac wants this and that it’s yes but no thanks. In a way I envy you for keeping it unspoiled but try and agree on what you really want and need first. And then contact everyone and ask their opinions. don’t need a referendum for that and you will propably get it. But please agree first and do it in stages and with Cayman Brac type of structure to suit your beautiful Island. You will have to adjust to the changes but make it for the people of Cayman Brac and you will be able to control the flow of visitors and investers to your pace. Good Luck, we love the Brac but you need an injection as well to grow and bring your born natives back.
after being snubbed by gov on the port and the dump…dart is now back to investing for itself…….gov probably would have blocked this sale if it had half the chance…
I cannot WAIT to read all the nay-sayers on this one tomorrow.
There will be the "Dart owns us now" group (but remember who sold the land in the first place…
Then the "Nex’ ting Dart gunna tu’n us all into slaves" cause, of course, as we all know, every business minded person would rather pay thousands, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands AND MORE to bring people to Cayman, pay the work permit fees, run the risk they might want to leave (sorry guys, you think every expat wants to come steal your jobs – there are a TON that leave because they cannot handle the small town life, negative BS attitude and general busy-body lifestyle we offer).
Then the conspiracy theorists will be out – "Dart gwana buy guvment" (Not saying MacManister isn’t milking this for all he can) and "Dart gunna sell out an’ bring casinos" – but really – it works for a lot of other places – so, get over the holier than thow bible hypocrasy, and accept change for change’s sake. Noone is forcing you to participate, and hey – one more subject to get on the ol’ soap box and preach about… That is, after the end of the world in 2012 fails to come to pass…
Seriously, do I have to highlight the entire industry built up in Las Vegas and to a lesser extent, Paradise Island? Noone is FORCED to go and gamble. The industry creates jobs – and if you don’t want to work FOR them, get an ancilliary job – if there were 2-3 casinos on Cayman, tourism (should) skyrocket – and that means a need for hotels, restaurants, bars… Wait, unna tellin’ me unna not gwan wuk deh??? OK, they will probably need more banks to cash the money, so you cansit your lazy… DO NOT GET ME STARTED ABOUT MY OWN PEOPLE’S SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT TO CHAIR-WARMING JOBS!!!
OK, let’s be rational – very few (I won’t say NO ONE) likes change. But, a rolling stone gathers no moss. We NEED to change the island, adapt, GROW. And we CAN do it together. Problem is, in between my parents who worked to BUILD Cayman, and my children, who need to grab the torch and take responsibility for growing the country, we have a generation, many of them my peers, who think they should be HANDED their life on a platter. They fail to see the work their forefathers, and fathers put in to getting this place to where it is today, and think it just happens, and should again for them today.
NO.
WRONG.
To use a global analogy, Cayman has become Generation E, or "Gen E" – the Generation or ENTITLEMENT.
Lose that attitude, put in a little effort, and we can, perhaps, just in time for the introduction of the DOT’s new campaign, become Cayman Kind. Not Cayman Kind-of…
Bravo!!! "Standing Ovation" couldn’t have said it better myself…!
Cayman beware of the recent acquisitions… He who rules the alcohol rules…
….. the alcoholics
Say Wha?
An addtional 232 acres to go along with all that he own now.
Well it really is no longer West Bay but now Dart Bay.
No sah, never heard this anywhere in the world before.
Glad to be not a Dart Bayer!
Good that this property has been bought and hope that it will be restored as a hotel to increase the number of accommodation beds available in the industry.
As to the question if the developer will request Government to move the WB Road so that the hotel would not be dissected from the beach? Hint: Government is concerned about the dangerous driving on WB Road (rightfully so). Refer to story on Pg2 of Caymanian Compass January 19.
…build sturdy concrete foot/cycle bridges with steps and ramp access on each side. We used to cross a dangerous dual carriageway to get to our school years ago and this ended up being the perfect solution, and still in use 30 years later.
Dah wha you all want dah wha you all get! Unna all want Dart, well now you all got Dart. Dart is soon gonna own all of Cayman & if you think slavery days were bad in years gone haha YOU NAH SEE NUTTIN YET!
Sad days ahead folks, sad days, because it is not good for one person to own so much, but we GAVE him Cayman status & there is no stopping him now. Worrying times ahead folks, suck it up.
Why all the thumbs down on 20:23..? This is exactly what is happening in Cayman…everything is being sold outto a foreigner and yet we complain. We allowed this. Dart has bought up so many businesses and put his own in. Movie theater to list one. He owns a good piece of Cayman and that will not change..so this is where we are at today.
Ummm.. Who’s selling? If we Caymanians sell what we have to foreigners, we only have ourselves to blame. There are no guns to the head – only greed to cash in. Yes, this IS very short-sighted, and I is one Caymanian that is holding on to his roots – and I welcome foreigners who have the vision to put their money where their mouths are and INVEST.
Dart is legally a Caymanian now, so actually one of your own bought it
A movie theater that sells a regular size bottle of water that you would think was made of gold!
Sorry – Can I get an interpreter please? What are you attempting to say?
This recent purchase by Dart is an excellent move. Hopefully there are plans in place for employment for those 2,000 plus individuals that are out of work and it would be nice if they could be given the opportunity to train for various positions in the Hospitality industry.
An excellent idea of investment is to transform this property into a Model Hotel Training School while at the same time maintain and build a reputation as a world class Caribbean Resort. Perhaps a portion of the property could even be reserved for resident hotel staff or student living quarters as well. There’s definitely great potential.
Consider Jackson Memorial Hospital together with the University of Miami provides World Class State of the Art Medical services to individuals globally. Perhaps Dart Management would consider a joint venture with the Cayman Islands government Labor Office in providing hospitality training and keeping our people employed in the hotel industry which can only yield positive results, help reduce poverty and crime, at the same time placing a considerably huge dent into the unemployment situation presently existing.
I hope he does buy out the whole island, he surely can’t do much worst than the a-holes you people voted in to OWN the whole island!
Go Dart go!!! You can buy my dang house for all I care! We need someone forward thinking with EDUCATED counsel backing his decisions in control of our lives, Dart has done more for Cayman than any Government that has ever been elected in!
Taking a rain check?
Why are you concerned about Mr. Dart buying up property? He’s CAYMANIAN NOW! HE a’int going nowhere he’s ONE OF US! I think who you complainers should be very concerned about are those Cayman grassroots business owners who deny jobs to THEIR OWN CAYMANIANS THAT THEY GREW UP WITH all in exchange for a work permit employee to control and pay a measly salary, while taking advantage of all of us. May I remind you that Mr. Dart is EMPLOYING CAYMANIANS!
Ain’t that how it REALLY is? Does he fit the description of a foreigner who is trying to hurt us or an X-pat worthy of Cayman Status TRYING TO HELP US ALL, doing many things for this island that the GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE DOING AND ARE NOT! If the reason is they have no money, then thank God for a developer that is willing to lay out dollars for us all to benefit from!
Could it be that he is a Gift from God and not really a curse? I don’t see him trying to run for office, he truly isn’t governor he’s just a businessman using his money wisely to invest into viable projects.
Use commonsense and target your real enemy, it certainly is not Mr. Dart nor Dart Management, its your next door neighbor maybe?
I wish he’d buy my house
I hope the 232 acres includes the Cayman Islands Yacht Club which is north of the Courtyard Marriott and is also owned by Stan Thomas.
Maybe now that Kenneth Dart has bought it, the marina will now get a serious and well needed upgrade, from it’s present state….. since Hurricane Ivan.
This purchase does include the Yacht Club and Marina, which he says is to be renovated right off.
Stan Thomas does not own the Yacht Club.
This is great news and hopefully this will bring new life to this property and new jobs.
It is a prime location and very positive for the country.
Good for Dart! It would be nice to see more locals branch out, invest here on the island and create more jobs. But that I guess depends on when Government reduces its licenses, fees, and duties upon the private sector. Cayman could have a boost in the economy if more businesses and companies were just given the chance to thrive.
Wow ..I wonder if Government waived the stamp duty on this one!!
Should be a good chunk of cash at the Treasury if they didn’t.
You can do an FOI and find out!
hmmm why dont you do the FOI snicker snicker