Good news for the island’s accommodation sector, the Vue Pointe Hotel is to be rebuilt after being closed for 10 years.
The hotel owners are the first recipients of the government’s new Tourism Growth Accommodation Fund.
“Our Government, through its Tourism Growth Project has contributed a cash injection of EC$200,000 and an additional investment of EC$600,000 is being made by the owners,” said Hon. Premier Donaldson Romeo in his New Year’s Address this week.
The hotel, which was opened in December of 1961 is located on five acres overlooking Old Road Bay and the Belham Valley. It once boasted 28 spacious cottages and 12 motel style rooms.
Vue Pointe played a critical role in the height of the volcanic crisis, housing major government operations, social events and Roman Catholic church services. It was evacuated several times when scientists felt the area was in danger from potential eruptions.
Before its closure in 2007, the hotel had a fresh water swimming pool, shuffle board, tennis court, paperback library, the Sea Wolf Diving School, the Jumping Jack Beach bar and Carol’s Corner Gift Shop, a restaurant in the Main Building which hosted the famous Wednesday night Buffet and the Michael Gen Osborne Conference Centre, which could accommodate more than 150 people.
Work began on January 18 to bring the portions of the property up to standard in time for St. Patrick’s Festival in March 2016. Managing Director Cedric Osborne and the contractor, John Lynch have agreed that by March, the dance, dining, pool and reception areas will be ready for use. It is hoped that eight cottages and the conference room will be ready for use by December 2016.
“This will be the first of such projects, which will provide construction jobs over the next few months, as well as enhancing our Tourism offering, leading to long term employment aside from construction. EC $300,000 is still available to further successful applicants under this scheme. This demonstrates our commitment to enabling private sector development,” the premier also stated.
