Work is now well under way on the beach restoration project at the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort, with crews installing protective silt curtains offshore, relocating hundreds of artificial reef balls and beginning construction of shoreline structures designed to help retain sand along one of the island’s most erosion-impacted stretches of coastline.
Chris Briggs, manager of Coralstone Construction & Development Ltd., who has been subcontracted for the marine work said, “The project is now progressing steadily, and the overall project is expected to be completed within approximately three months.”
Over the past week, contractors have installed silt screens in the waters off the hotel property as marine construction activities accelerate. Coralstone Construction, has also begun removing and relocating reef balls that were originally installed offshore in 2002 as part of earlier efforts to reduce erosion.
While the reef balls helped create marine habitat, they ultimately proved ineffective at preventing the chronic loss of sand that has impacted large sections of the southern end of Seven Mile Beach over the past two decades.
Construction has also started on the northern of two planned low-profile rock groynes that form a key component of the restoration plan. The structures are designed to help hold sand in place after beach nourishment is completed.
McAlpine Ltd. is serving as the project’s general contractor, while internationally recognised coastal engineering firm Moffatt & Nichol provided the design and engineering expertise behind the restoration effort.
In addition to relocating reef balls and installing the silt curtain, Coralstone also worked on the relocation of an existing submarine communications cable on the southern side of the property, where the second groyne will eventually be constructed.
Jason Marin, vice president of asset management for L+R, the ownership group behind the resort, discussed the project with Compass Media saying it represents the culmination of years of planning, engineering studies and collaboration with government agencies.
He said his company had worked closely with government throughout the process, and the owners of the hotel feel grateful that they are finally in a position to rebuild the beach.
Marin said the project could serve as an important demonstration of what may be possible in other beach areas impacted by sand loss.
“It serves as a template for what could be possible for beach restoration in other parts of Seven Mile Beach,” he said.
The project was approved by Cabinet last year and will allow up to 8,000 cubic yards of government-approved sand to be placed along the shoreline in front of the Marriott and neighbouring properties.
The restoration plan includes two 135-foot low-profile rock groynes that will largely be buried beneath the replenished beach and remain below the mean high-water mark. Engineers say the structures are intended to help reduce the loss of newly placed sand during storms while maintaining the natural appearance of the shoreline.
The project also includes underwater rock scour protection around the existing seawall and the repositioning of more than 230 reef balls to help create a more sheltered nearshore environment.
The beach restoration effort comes after years of severe erosion along the southern section of Seven Mile Beach. The Marriott property has been among the most visibly affected locations, losing much of the sandy beach that once fronted the hotel when it opened as the Radisson in 1990.
The erosion became so significant that the property dropped the word “Beach” from its name branding in 2023.
Environmental officials continue to emphasise that a coordinated, larger-scale replenishment programme remains the preferred long-term solution for southern Seven Mile Beach. However, with no formal timeline yet announced for a wider restoration initiative, the Marriott project is being closely watched as a potential model for future public-private efforts to restore and protect one of Cayman’s most important tourism and recreational assets.
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