Dart deal to also allow for new high school in West Bay
The deal announced this week between the Cayman Islands Government and the Dart Group will allow for the creation of a new public beach on West Bay Road, an enhanced and widened existing Public Beach, plus a new private-sector high school in West Bay.
Speaking at the launch of the ForCayman Investment Alliance – which is what the far-reaching public/private partnership is being called – Premier McKeeva Bush outlined the benefits the deal will offer the Cayman Islands, many of which were reported in the 16 June edition of the Caymanian Compass.
“We believe that the best strategy for achieving sustainable growth in the Cayman Islands’ economy is to inspire the private sector to do what the private sector does best: create wealth and generate jobs,” Mr. Bush said. “This partnership agreement gives incentives to the private sector to provide a large and immediate economic stimulus – one that creates jobs, helps create wealth through investments and economic activity across several industries utilising both small and large business.”
Mr. Bush said the arrangement would provide private sector funding for needed national infrastructure, additional lands, facilities and social educational programmes. Mr. Bush spoke about an enhanced Public Beach on West Bay Road and the acquisition of additional oceanfront land for another public beach on West Bay Road.
On Thursday, Ministerial Council for Tourism Chairman Cline Glidden Jr. went into more details about the two beaches.
The new beach will be created on Dart-owned lands on the northern edge of the property acquired from Stan Thomas earlier this year. Instead of creating six-foot pedestrian rights-of-way for every 200 feet of land it develops along that property, the Dart Group will combine the six-foot rights-of-way on one side of its lands to create a usable piece of beach, which will also serve as access.
Mr. Glidden said the plan will in no way prohibit access to any part of Seven Mile Beach.
“We just wanted to consolidate [the rights-of-way] into one usable piece of land,” he said, noting that the width of the beach would end up being between 75 and 100 feet – worth millions of dollars on the open market. Mr. Glidden said the government was keen to create public open spaces that would get maximum usage, including public beach space.
“Government just isn’t in a position to go and purchase that through normal channels,” he said, noting that the deal with the Dart Group gave them an alternative opportunity.
“From a conceptual standpoint, we thought it would be significantly more beneficial having a usable parcel,” Mr. Glidden said, noting there were other practical reasons for the decision as well. With the government allowing the Dart Group to take ownership of a section of West Bay Road as part of the bigger deal, the six-foot rights-of-way would have had to come off the Esterley Tibbetts Highway extension the Dart Group will build a considerable distance from the beach. In addition, with the Esterley Tibbetts Highway being a limited access thoroughfare with no off-road parking, any rights-of-way wouldn’t be convenient to pedestrians in any case.
Architect Burns Conolly of the Burns Conolly Group explained that under Cayman Development and Planning Regulations, developers of oceanfront property in hotel/tourism zones are required to dedicate a public right of way of at least six feet for every 200 feet – or part of 200 feet – of beach property they are developing. He said he thought the plan to create a new public beach by using the rights-of-way space in the Dart Property was “a great idea”.
“There are plenty of precedents of combining them,” he said, noting that some developers of properties have just created one 18-foot right-of-way at one side of their property rather than multiple rights-of-way through their development.
Existing Public Beach
With regard to the existing Public Beach on West Bay Road, Mr. Glidden said the idea was to relocate Governors Way, the current road off the Esterley Tibbetts Highway that merges with West Bay Road just in front of Public Beach, to just north of RBS Coutts on the boundary of Dart-owned land. This would allow for the widening of Public Beach by incorporating the land currently used by West Bay Road plus some additional land across the road.
On Wednesday, Mr. Bush said the expanded Public Beach would then be enhanced with improved public facilities such as play areas, cabanas, outdoor grills and parking.
Speaking about the road relocation in general, Mr. Glidden said it would allow the government to reduce the speed limit on West Bay Road because having the 40-mph Esterley Tibbetts Highway running all the way between George Town and West Bay would eliminate the major impediment to making the reduction.
“This is an intention that has come forward from recommendations and [the road relocation] allows government to do that,” he said, noting that the recommendation is to reduce the speed limit from 40mph to 30mph.
“It will make [West Bay Road] a much friendlier – from a tourism perspective – and better road.”
Land in West Bay for high school
Another part of the deal with the Dart Group involves the government getting 20 acres of West Bay land along Batabano Road near the intersection with Willie Farrington Drive. Mr. Bush announced Wednesday that government would give five acres to Grace Christian Academy to build a high school, and Mr. Glidden said that land would come from the 20 acres it was getting in the Dart deal.
He said that the thinking behind the donation is that the government will not be able to go ahead with the previously-planned Buelah Smith High School in West Bay, so this would be a way for West Bay to get a high school in another way. The school would be built by Grace Christian Academy, and although there could be some government form of assistance in the future, the government had only committed to the donation of the five acres so far, Mr. Glidden said, adding that the remaining 15 acres on Batabano Road acquired in the Dart deal would be used for community projects like parks or possibly even a civic centre/hurricane shelter sometime in the future.
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Way to go McKeeva – sell out the country to the already wealthy. And make travel difficult for your own citizens.
Tourists are happy now with West Bay Rd. Can’t wait to give them directions once the road is rerouted.
Why can’t Dart put an walkway from their hotel to the beach? Because they have no beach there. But take away the road and you just increased the property price by 5 fold. Wish I could vote as I would vote McKeeva out. Shame on you Mr. Bush.
Dear Carpediem,
You comments are very short sighted!!
Did you visit the Public Beach this weekend for the jet ski competition and activities on the beach? Well I did with my little boy who is almost 3 years old. I had to park across the road on some empty land by that unfinished entrance to a development. Then I had to carry my Son over a very busy road to get to the narrow beach, which was also filled by parked cars, Police Cars, Food Trucks etc.
Now what the Government and Dart is doing is making this public beach wider and bigger for all to enjoy and then there will also be parking spaces created.
Then the traffic can flow on a much better road to West Bay.
Yes, Dart’s Hotel land will be increase in value, but maybe you did not read the whole proposal. They will give land to the Government for a School that the Government did not have money for.
You state the fact that Dart is wealthy as a negative. Why?
If a company does make a profit and are wealthy then that is great, it means they are doing something right!!
I wish more Governments and Countries would be run by business men and show a profit, that would stop a lot of problems.
I will also say this of the DART group and their Family Park.
There are many wealthy companies and families on the Island, where are their family parks or community projects.
Dart are investors. They Invest in Cayman for the Long Term, every move they make is calculated to increase their wealthy and property portfolio and to increase their property value it is in their interest to help create and maintain a great CAYMAN with jobs for all, Schools for all and all the positives that make a country great.
Dear carpediem, when you turn your negative attitude to a POSITIVE one you can do anything in life, and even you can be wealthy and enjoy the life style you envy from others.
Ummm… looking at the map. That looks like a public beach blocked off from the rest of the beach. And I know they say that they are not blocking public access, but will there be enough parking for locals and visitors? In that area, the nice sandy beach is all we have left! Just voicing my concerns.
Ok Let me break this down for everyone.
The Dart Group is investing billions (with a B) into Cayman over the next 20 years or so.
Wisely, They are investing some of that into the people of Cayman so that we can grow along (or atleast have the opportunity to) with Cayman as it grows. They want to create jobs and business opportunities for future generations so that his investments flourish as well. WIN-WIN
How can one man (Mr. Bush) make so many decisions from such a small island? It’s like you read and hear one thing after the next. First from the berthing port in East End to the Dart Mega-Deal, yet, these are concerns for the people of Cayman but no one speaks up.
In regards to the expansion of Public Beach on West Bay road it is ridiculous. I do understand that it will create a lot more space and free up congestions but to close down a road is outrageous. If creating an expanded beach is to boost tourism then it might as well do but a lot of tourist that come on island want to see the natural resources of our island not some constructed man-made beach. If that was the case I’m sure they would stay on the country that they are from or go to a more exotic island with hills or waterfalls. The beach in particular is what many people come here for to enjoy at its natural state.
I strongly believe that anything done on this Island as a part of a deal DOES NOT truly benefit the people but the investors themselves. Don’t get me wrong, most businesses’ main objective anyway is to make money/profit. However, one would think that since Government is involved that the people’s interest will be looked out for.
Government promises a high school, jobs and a creation of wealth.
Yet, the school in itself will be private. In an economy such as this where there is a slump, how would a parent be able to afford to send their child to a private school?
Another issue is the creation of jobs. Precisely who will do these jobs? I’m sure it won’t be local small companies but an outside company coming in. Then Mr. Bush says it will create wealth? If local companies aren’t going to get the necessary jobs that they can do, exactly how is that creating wealth? I’m sure a multiplier effect won’t happen because there is no money for the local small companies to circulate in the Caymanian economy.
One thing is for sure, wealth will be created but to Dart and Mr. Bush himself NOT to the people.
It is however sad to know that Cayman is selling out itself one piece at a time. All I ask is for the Caymanian community is to open your eyes, and as a community if you feel that it is not in the best interest of the people take a stand and let your voice be heard.
Tourists want to see the beach in its natural state?? What a laugh. Every time the a norwester comes along and bring tons of sea weed onto the beach, yeah lets leave it create a rotting stench and a swarm of beach flies. Every each inch of beach about ten to fifteen feet back from the water covered in sea weed and the odd pieces of plastic flotsam. Thats real desirable.
Who cleans the beach?? Govt employees. When they expand and enhance the beach that will create jobs for Govt.
When the road closes and the bypass extends into West Bay, anyone who drives along the old road will be either someone who lives in the condos along the beach, a tourist at a hotel or someone that is going to the beach or one of the bars/restaurants in the immediate vicinity. Does it hinder me? No. Does it take more time to get to West Bay? No.
Yes Govt is allowing Dart to close the road but Dart will be giving back a beautiful park-like beach site for everyone to use. If its anything like their district parks it will be great.
Everyone that is running Dart down, look around, count how many local companies that have made billions off Cayman have given anything back on the scale of what Dart has given back. Zero. All those huge companies registered here, not a dollar back to the community. Are people talking about them? Didnt think so.
After Ivan, when Cayman was in hardest times many us had ever seen, the construction of Camana Bay helped create the momentum to get Cayman back on its feet as it was the largest construction project going then, employing 1000’s of people, myself included.
The refurbishment of the old Courtyard Marriot will employee locals. Carpenters, sheet rockers, tilers, plumbers, electricians, landscapers.
Why would you not want this at the cost of having a few hundred feet of road closed, which is no cost to any of us?
By natural state, I mean not extending the beach. Why do we need an expanded beach when the beach runs all along West Bay road?
People will have their opinions and different perspective of a situation. However, when the actions start to really reflect,I hope people can take the consequences.
The beach site there now was a modification from its natural state and was done as cheaply as possible too. I will bet money that Dart’s public beach will be much nicer.
As to why to expand the beach site, simple, to increase its capacity, to increase the ammenities ie to increase appeal to visitors and locals alike.
kman:
Sadly, for reasons of necessity as well as the desire to have more, Caymanians have been selling their country bit by bit, for many many years. The stop sign should have been out up long ago.