This past weekend, some of the
greatest names in men’s tennis in the last quarter century came to compete in
the Legends Champions Series event at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman. The high-profile event generates international
media exposure, including television replays of the matches. Best of all, the
event earned US$63,000 for the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, the non-profit
organisation that helps abused women and their children.
Yet despite the good it does for
the Cayman Islands’ reputation and community, this event was criticised in the
Caymanian Compass on Friday because the tickets this year were sold in VIP
packages rather than singly with the general public in mind. Interestingly, the
free tennis exhibition with the visiting players held in George Town on
Saturday only attracted about 40 people, so we’re not sure much of the general
public was interested in any case.
It seems no matter what he does,
Ritz-Carlton developer Michael Ryan is the focus of criticism. He has been criticised for building the
Ritz-Carlton, but without that hotel in the post-Hurricane Ivan era, Cayman’s
tourism product would be in dire straits indeed. Because the Ritz-Carlton is an
internationally recognised luxury brand, it has attracted attention not only
for the hotel property itself, but also for the events it hosts. For instance,
its restaurant Blue and the Ritz-centred Cayman Cookout event have done more to
put the Cayman Islands on the international culinary map than any other restaurant
or event held here – ever.
Mr. Ryan has also been criticised
for announcing that the North Sound Club golf course will eventually be closed
and redeveloped as part of the private Dragon Bay golf course. Why members of
the public feel Mr. Ryan is obligated to use private land for a public golf
course is curious, but given the pervasive sense of entitlement here, perhaps
not surprising.
Mr. Ryan is not the only developer
to face public criticism despite high-quality projects. The Darts, Joe Imparato and Dr. Devi Shetty
are all hearing criticism because of their proposed developments here. At some
point, these developers must ask themselves if developing here is worth all the
trouble.
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