The Grand Cayman Marriott Resort is seeking approval to restore approximately 60-foot of beach in front of the hotel.
Sand has been completely stripped away on the storm-ravaged southern side of Seven Mile Beach, eroding income and jobs at the once thriving resort.
Now the resort’s owners caution structures are being impacted by wave action from the advancing seas and swift action is paramount to protect the property as well as the business.
A ‘coastal protection and beach enhancement project’ has been proposed to deposit up to 8,000 cubic yards of fresh sand in front of the hotel.
Low-profile ‘shoreline stabilisation structures’ – buried under the sand and below the mean high water mark – are proposed to help the sand from being swept away in future storms.
A coastal works application, submitted to Cabinet, indicates the intent to restore the beach to its former glory and, in the process, offer insights for other landowners and for government if they wish to pursue future beach replenishment projects.
Photo: Courtesy of Ivan Burges private collection
“The primary objective of this project is to restore and protect the Marriott’s shoreline which had approximately 100 feet of beach when the hotel was opened in 1990 as the Radisson,” an introduction to the application states.
The entire ‘southern cell’ of Seven Mile Beach has been impacted by erosion to the point where most of the properties along that stretch are now only accessible by boat.
The Marriott dropped ‘Beach’ from its name in 2023 as a result of the impact.
Its application states, “The Grand Cayman Marriott Resort has been significantly impacted by chronic beach erosion, jeopardizing the hotel’s physical and financial sustainability and directly contributing to the loss of hospitality jobs for local Caymanians.”
Jason Marin, asset manager for the hotel’s owner said the project could help secure future jobs and tourism revenue for the Cayman economy and provide a ‘proof of concept’ for similar beach restoration efforts.
He said it should not impact any government or private sector led efforts for a larger scale beach renourishment on the mile-long stretch from Treasure Island to the Sovereign where the sand has been wiped away by erosion.
He added that with the hotel’s physical infrastructure having been severely impacted from recent storms, it could not wait any longer to act.
Hermes Cuello, general manager of the hotel, said the impact of erosion had severely affected income including for the hotel’s staff, who depend on tips for much of their salary. He said the hotel has almost 50% Caymanian staff and would be able to hire up to another 100 employees if it had a viable beach.
“We have tried to reposition as a waterfront hotel but when people come to the Caribbean and especially to Seven Mile it is clear that they want a beach.”
‘Something must be done’
Cuello said there was growing recognition politically and among the community that something needed to be done about the southern end of Seven Mile Beach.
“I think the authorities have realised that if we don’t do something the beach will not return on its own,” he added.
While he supports larger scale efforts to deal with the problem, he expects that to take longer.
And he insisted that the Marriott’s concept was a ‘win-win’ for everyone – providing invaluable insight into what could be achieved elsewhere along the beach.
Documents submitted to Cabinet indicate sand sourced from upland developments will be deposited on the beach.
Engineering drawings show stone structures perpendicular to the shore that will help keep the sand in place.
Tim Perini, head of capital projects for the ownership group, insisted these would be discreet, buried in sand or below the water line to “maintain the aesthetic integrity” of Seven Mile Beach.
He said the project, which will be privately funded, has received letters of support from the neighbouring Regal Beach and South Bay Beach Club, which will see some addition to their beach front as part of the project.
Marin said the impacts of erosion were more than simply aesthetic at this point.
“Not having a beach has accelerated physical damage to the property, just as it has with properties north and south of us.
“The water level now is above the bottom of our sea wall. Anytime there’s a storm, we’ve had significant damage, which has affected the operation.
“We need to do something fast. We’ve really, really been heavily impacted.”
The Marriott application also includes the addition of rocks under water to protect its sea wall and deck as well as the repositioning of existing artificial ‘reef balls’ to help create a protected area in front of the hotel that will help retain new sand.
The application is currently being reviewed by the Department of Environment’s technical review committee which will make a recommendation to Cabinet.
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Lots of scare mongering. Would love to see 50% cayman employees which I don’t believe is the case. What I did not read was how will this impact the environment and the rest of the SMB stretch? Why not start to retreat as recommended?
YES Let them do it already 3 mile beach is getting smaller There is NO good reason why this should not be done and as soon as possible
Unfortunately, the Radisson built too close to the water, closer than what was legally allowed. They received a fine, which was a drop in the bucket, and were allowed to carry on. Now the Marriott is experiencing the repercussions of their actions. IMO, the only thing that will REALLY bring back the beach is to knock down everything that is too close to the water and build farther, much farther, back from the sea. I know this is a monumental expense, but unless it is done, everything else will be a very temporary Band Aid.
All talk for years, get moving ,,get it done .. If BS was $$$$$$$$ you would not need to work.
YES AGAIN, wait for Govt action and wait for ever. This could be a pilot project and the Marriott has to do something as the hotel itself is now in danger. They will have had access to expert advice and “retreat” is not an option unless the hotel is written off.
We need a comprehensive plan for the entire length of SMB. All piecemeal sand jut-outs like this one will do is deflect more wave and storm pressure on the shoreline either side of it.
As owners the Marriott knows this because its own advisors will have told it of this consequence and its lawyers will have been consulted on legal consequences.
This sand dump isn’t primarily to save the concrete hotel abutments now under direct wave attack, because it won’t do that for long, it’s to recreate a major hotel attraction, a pure sand beach which is now history.
The hotel knows without the beach restoration its drop in guest-night stays post beach loss is going to get steadily worse.
Why come to a beachfront hotel that has no beachfront, right?
The problem with a universal approach to save SMB, the major tourist attraction of the island, is it will involve relocating a number of waterfront structures which are too close to the waterline and always have been. And these people or companies will have to be compensated even if the Island government uses expropriation.
The other problem is those left with the refurnished waterfront will be fewer and the beach will be better so it will be claimed, with some justification, there is unjust enrichment too.
But the alternate is do nothing or work piecemeal and the only thing more destructive than the former is the latter.
In the 1990’s I operated the Dive Shop at the ten Radisson Hotel, now Marriott. The beach was broad and plentiful. My dive boats could slid up on to the sand for customer pick ups, we rented sail boats and wave runners with ease. Then the Jung’s the owner’s of the hotel decided to relocate the swimming pool from a courtyard in the hotel to the ocean front. This entail building the huge concrete terrace that exists today. It was evident from that time on that the holding wall was impacting wave movement and it started to impact the beach to what is no existent today.
I am sure if they remove this terrace and swimming pool the beach will have a chance of revival.
No amount of “trucked in” sand will last,