Topic: Seven Mile Beach
Beach gives birth to a new NCAA sport
Beach volleyball took on a starring role in Cayman over the weekend with the NORCECA tournament at Seven Mile Beach, spotlighting a sport that has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence in the United States over the past decade.
NORCECA tournament comes to Seven Mile Beach this weekend
Raise the nets and sweep the beach. Professional volleyball returns to the Cayman Islands this weekend, when Public Beach at Seven Mile Beach will play host to an international tournament sponsored by NORCECA.
Invasive flying termites create a buzz in Cayman
Flying termites descended on Seven Mile Beach and throughout West Bay Thursday evening, as the insects’ annual spring breeding got under way.
6 liquor licenses granted to gas stations, 1 to sell on Sundays
Six new liquor licenses have been granted to gas stations, including one to sell alcohol on Sundays.
Developer plans 5-star hotel at Pageant Beach
The long-vacant 7.1-acre Pageant Beach site at the southern tip of Seven Mile Beach will be developed as a five-star luxury resort.
Dart’s beach rock removal plan to require environmental study
The National Conservation Council voted Wednesday to require an environmental impact assessment before developer Dart Real Estate is permitted to remove beach rock from the waters off Seven Mile Beach.
EIA recommended for Dart beach rock removal
An environmental impact assessment should be carried out before Dart Real Estate is allowed to move beach rock from the shallow coastal waters off Seven Mile Beach, the Department of Environment has advised.
To the people who stole my scooter
I love the Cayman Islands and its people. I enjoy both expats as well as native Caymanians. This country is very special and I am so happy to be here, but it is disappointing that some do their best (or is it their worst) to attempt to spoil it for the rest of us.
A year after boat tragedy, hope endures
Friends and family of five boaters missing at sea for a year gathered on Seven Mile Beach Tuesday in a tearful tribute to their lost loved ones.
Awards for Ritz-Carlton, Seven Mile Beach
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman has received its fourth consecutive AAA Five Diamond award, and Seven Mile Beach has been recognized as one of the best beaches in the world by TripAdvisor voters.
EDITORIAL – Beach vendors’ victory: Government caves on unlicensed operators
The Cayman Islands government has tried just about everything to address the problem of unlicensed vendors operating on Seven Mile Beach — reams of paperwork, customer service training, sternly worded warnings, promises of kiosks, plans for uniforms, etc. — everything, that is, except for this: enforcing existing laws.
Dart tunnel project approved
Dart Real Estate confirmed Thursday it had been granted planning permission for a second underpass west of Camana Bay. The work will essentially transform a stretch of West Bay Road, close to Royal Palms, into a tunnel.
Caribbean travel hit record arrivals, expenditures in 2016
Visitors to the Caribbean hit a record level in 2016, with 29.3 million traveling to the region, the Caribbean Tourism Organization reported Thursday. The report marks the seventh year of consecutive growth. At 4.2 percent growth, overall tourist arrivals to the Caribbean region surpassed the global average of 3.9 percent.
Dart applies to remove beach rock
The Dart group has formally applied to remove more than 1,000 feet of beach rock from the shallow coastal waters off Seven Mile Beach. Following a trial excavation last year, the developer has now submitted a full application to remove submerged rock fronting a property where it hopes to build a new five-star hotel.
Cayman’s tourism product highlighted in IRR report
For this month’s update, I thought it would be useful to concentrate on analyzing some of the findings from the IRR Viewpoint Caribbean Market Update Year End 2016 Report, produced by James V. Andrews from Integra Realty Resources – Caribbean.
UPDATE: Shooting outside Seven Mile Beach night club
One man was shot and another man hit with a gun early Saturday morning outside Fete night club on West Bay Road in the Seven Mile Beach area.
People Who Time Forgot: Harley Rivers
Harley Rivers was known as one of Cayman’s best roof thatchers in his time. Anyone who remembers the beachfront lounge cabanas at the old Holiday Inn will have noticed his work. He was a true gentleman who shone with old-time traditional kindness and hospitality.
Legal change ‘clears the way’ for new developments
A number of “stalled” developments, particularly along Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach corridor, may be able to get under way now that laws regarding how high those structures can be built have been clarified, according to a recent legal analysis.
All eyes on the skies: Fireworks welcome new year
All eyes were on the skies on New Year’s Eve as fireworks exploded across the Cayman Islands to mark the arrival of 2017. Along Seven Mile Beach, pictured, several hotels and bars hosted their own pyrotechnic displays, watched by the thousands who lined the beach.
EDITORIAL – The unequal distribution of Cayman’s tourists
We (obviously) haven’t read the new five-year tourism plan being developed by Cayman Islands government consultants, but, as we reported in Monday’s newspaper, part of the report will examine ways to lure tourists away from the country’s three most popular attractions – Seven Mile Beach, Stingray City and the Cayman Turtle Centre – each of which draws more than 1 million visitors annually, and spread them out to other venues, such as Hell, Pedro St. James and the Queen Elizabeth II Royal Botanic Park, each of which attracts some 20,000 visitors per year.
Seven Mile Beach voted best in Caribbean
Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach has been voted the best beach in the Caribbean, according to a reader survey by the Caribbean Journal for 2016.
No action on SMB vendors, court rejects $500 fine
A throng of unlicensed beach vendors has packed into Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach since the issue erupted into the spotlight early this year, while there has been no apparent enforcement of rules or any working agreement between government and the vendors.
Crowding a key concern in tourism plan
A new five-year tourism plan will look at ways to spread visitors beyond three main attractions which risk being swamped with visitors as the industry grows. Stingray City, the Cayman Turtle Centre and Seven Mile Beach each attract more than a million visitors a year.
EDITORIAL – Westward ho! Cayman’s future is Seven Mile Beach
“Go west, young man, and grow up with the country.”
Over the past decade, the closest thing the Cayman Islands government has had to a...
Rock removal trial begins on Seven Mile Beach
The Dart group began removing slabs of beach rock from the waters off Seven Mile Beach on Wednesday at the site of a planned five-star resort.
Water incidents on Spotts, Seven Mile beaches
Police on Tuesday said marine unit officers responded to Spotts Beach to reports of people in distress after a kayak overturned near the reef around 2:30 p.m. A second kayak brought the people to shore, according to police. No one was injured.
Why buy a condo on Seven Mile Beach?
Put simply, buying a condo on Seven Mile Beach is a great investment. But I would like to delve a little deeper as to...
The only calendar you’ll need this Christmas
There are already Christmas items in the shops and festive ads on the television, now that the holiday season is near. The local calendar is filling up with events guaranteed to get people in the holiday spirit, beginning with the Christmas tree lighting at Camana Bay on Saturday.
30 Stories
30 Stories — Today's editorial cartoon
The only calendar you’ll need this Christmas
There are already Christmas items in the shops and festive ads on the television, now that the holiday season is near. The local calendar is filling up with events guaranteed to get people in the holiday spirit, beginning with the Christmas tree lighting at Camana Bay on Saturday.
EDITORIAL – Should Cayman rise to new heights?
In Grand Cayman, there is very little prime land (i.e. “sand”) available for development. In some key plots with pre-existing structures, the only direction for developers is skyward. However, proper execution would require a far more advanced and sophisticated legal and regulatory framework than Cayman currently has in place.
‘We must build higher’: Bush calls for 7MB buildings up to 30 stories
As Cayman’s first 10-story buildings opened on Seven Mile Beach on Tuesday, Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush called for developers to be allowed to build higher.
Dart plans next phase of Camana Bay expansion
Developer Dart Real Estate has submitted a planning application for an underpass along West Bay Road, the next phase of its ambitious plan to expand Camana Bay and create “sea-to-sound” connectivity between the Town Centre and Seven Mile Beach. A first underpass for the re-routed Esterley Tibbetts Highway has already been built.
The Westin gets $50 million upgrade
The Westin on Seven Mile Beach is part way through a US$50 million renovation with substantial upgrades to the lobby, pool and guest rooms. The hotel aims to have the first phase of the redevelopment completed by mid-December, ahead of what is expected to be the busiest high season on record.
Dart plan to remove beach rocks faces opposition from DoE
The Department of Environment is objecting to the Dart group’s plan to remove beach rock from the shallow coastal waters off Seven Mile Beach, citing potential far-reaching long-term impacts on the natural attraction.
Court not paying resort rent
Rent for a conference room at a Seven Mile Beach resort is not being paid for out of the courts budget, even though Grand Court is being held there this week and next week. Justice Nicholas Segal is presiding in a “special designated court” on the third floor of the Marriott Resort
Dart wins permission to remove rocks from coastal waters
The Dart group has been given permission to begin removing rocks from the shallow coastal waters off a Seven Mile Beach property where it hopes to build a new five-star hotel. The developer has been granted a coastal works license for a trial removal of beach rock at the site just north of the new Kimpton Seafire Resort.
Public Beach vendors fined $500, vow court fight
A number of unlicensed vendors operating on Grand Cayman’s Public Beach were fined $500 last month and told to pay up or go to court.
Condé Nast names Cayman among top islands in world
The Cayman Islands have been placed in a top 20 list of the best islands in the world.
50 people lose jobs after MEPCO closes doors
Contractor MEPCO shut down its operations this week and approximately 50 employees at the company lost their jobs, according to the liquidators who took over the business on Tuesday. MEPCO’s highest-profile project recently has been working on the condos at Dart’s new Kimpton Seafire hotel.
Investment conference theme defies gravity
Organizers of the Cayman Alternative Investment Summit literally launched the theme of the conference, “Defying Gravity: the future of alternative investments in exceptional times,” by sending a weather balloon carrying an event invitation from Seven Mile Beach into near space. The “CAIS in space” stunt was organized in conjunction with U.K. company Sent Into Space and involved attaching the CAIS invitation to a specially tailored meteorological balloon.
Government hires consultants for five-year tourism plan
The Cayman Islands government has hired Washington, D.C.-based company Solimar to draw up a five-year “National Tourism Plan” for the islands. The company was chosen in a competitive tender process which began in April, the Department of Tourism announced in a press releas
Planning law changes give ‘teeth’ to derelict property enforcement
Cayman Islands lawmakers are attempting to tackle the problems of derelict cars and properties, as well as property fences built too close to roads, in changes to the Development and Planning Law approved late Wednesday.
‘Sky of Hope’ lanterns honor those who have passed
Hundreds gathered at Public Beach on Wednesday night to release paper lanterns honoring loved ones who have passed, at the “Sky of Hope” fundraiser for Cayman HospiceCare. HospiceCare’s Danielle Coleman said more than 200 people came to the beach for picnic dinners and sparkling wine as they released the glowing paper lanterns into the night sky, with a backdrop of lightning storms over the sea.
‘Walk for the Cure’ this weekend
An annual walk to raise funds and awareness in a campaign against cancer takes place throughout the region this weekend, with the Cayman walk starting early Saturday morning.
Lanterns fly into ‘Sky of Hope’ on Seven Mile Beach
Members of the public are invited to buy tickets for Cayman HospiceCare’s “Sky of Hope,” scheduled for Wednesday from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Seven Mile public beach. Biodegradable lanterns will be released into air to celebrate life, raise awareness of Cayman HospiceCare, and raise funds for the important charitable organization.
Police ramp up patrols on Seven Mile Beach
The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service started an initiative aimed at reducing trespassing, thefts, burglaries and other crimes, particularly along the Seven Mile Beach corridor.
‘Corks for a Cause’ for the Crisis Centre
The Tasting Room & Wine Cellar at Caribbean Plaza along Seven Mile Beach has started a new wine and food tasting, all for a good cause.
Quick arrests in recent violent attacks
Royal Cayman Islands Police have made quick arrests in a string of violent incidents that occurred around Grand Cayman since the start of August.
Property perspective – Statistical review: Property prices are up, inventory is down
Regular readers of my monthly updates will know that we like to periodically take an overview of the statistics produced by CIREBA, the Cayman Islands Real Estate Brokers Association, the entity charged with overseeing Cayman’s real estate industry. These statistics, especially when viewed within a historical context, always make for interesting reading and point to current market trends.
Illegal vendors remain on beachfront
Tuesday’s scene on Public Beach at Seven Mile Beach this week was a familiar one, with unlicensed vendors setting up at the waterfront, beach chairs stacked up dozens high and Waverunners and banana boats gliding past swimmers in shallow waters next to shore.
Cyclists gear up for Pete Ribbins Ride along the western peninsula
The fourth annual Pete Ribbins Memorial Ride will be held on Sunday, Aug. 14.
Hyatt staff reunite for 30th anniversary
Former staff of the Hyatt Regency Hotel gather around the Beach Suites pool on Seven Mile Beach on Monday as part of an ongoing 30th anniversary reunion.
Licensing, training and dress code required for Cayman’s beach vendors
Any Public Beach vendors who remain in the Seven Mile Beach corridor past the end of this month will have undergone customer service training, participated in government inspections and will have to adhere to a dress code, according to government officials.
Sunbathing turtle makes rare appearance on beach
Beachgoers got a rare treat last week when a large sea turtle dragged herself out of the ocean and on to Seven Mile Beach.
Compromise seeks to move vendors off beachfront
Some vendors will be allowed to continue operating in the Seven Mile Beach area, but only in designated spaces that are kept back from the waterfront, under a compromise being worked out with Cayman Islands government officials.
Vandals slash ‘floating waterpark’
Overnight Wednesday, someone took a blade and stabbed dozens of holes into the thick green and yellow rubberized canvas of the inflatable waterpark, normally seen off Public Beach.
Kimpton seeks staff as construction nears completion
As an expanded crew of around 700 construction workers races to finish the new Kimpton Seafire Resort, the hotel’s management team is ramping up its recruitment drive to find 400-plus staff to work in the new facility.
TrinCay planning Seven Mile Beach expansion
TrinCay Medical Services will expand into Seven Mile Beach’s Caribbean Plaza shopping center in late summer, retaining its Camana Bay clinic and offering new specialties in neurosurgery; ear, nose and throat; cardiology and psychiatry.
Newly trained lifeguards help keep swimmers safe
A squad of newly trained lifeguards from the Cayman International School could be used to help make Cayman’s public beaches safer, their instructor believes.
Record field for Flowers swim
After missing out on victory by an arms-length in 2015, American swimmer Chip Peterson did not take any chances this time, storming to victory in the Flowers Sea Swim.
Margaritaville designs unveiled
The first renderings of the Margaritaville Grand Cayman Beach Resort were released this week, with the developer anticipating it will be “substantially complete” by the end of the year.
Officials say vendors need permission to use public land
Trade and business licenses cannot be granted to Grand Cayman’s Public Beach vendors, or anyone else operating on Crown land, without prior approval of Cabinet, the head of the Department of Commerce and Investment confirmed Tuesday.
Unlicensed Seven Mile Beach vendors told to close or face fines
Warning citations were handed out to more than a dozen vendors along Seven Mile and West Bay Public Beaches over the past week as the Department of Commerce and Investment responded to long-standing complaints about unlicensed or even dangerous activities in the popular tourist areas.
Tourism department seeks 5-year plan
Cayman’s key attraction, Seven Mile Beach, risks losing its appeal as visitor numbers continue to rise, according to a Department of Tourism analysis of future industry trends.
EDITORIAL – Travel plan: Quality, quantity or both?
In terms of tourism, is the Cayman Islands a “quantity” destination or a “quality” destination?
Flow 800m sea swim set for Saturday
The annual Flow 800-meter sea swim will be held on Saturday on Seven Mile Beach.
Dart completes Hyatt purchase
The Dart group has officially taken ownership of the former Hyatt properties, the Grand Cayman Beach Suites and the Britannia Golf Club.
Boat capsizes off Seven Mile Beach
Marine police responded Wednesday to a report of three men in the water after a boat capsized off Seven Mile Beach in rough sea conditions.
Singapore speakeasy a secret no longer
A secret bar that makes killer cocktails? Sounded like my kind of party.
EDITORIAL – The height of government regulatory folly
The level of precision, conscientiousness and coordination that goes into the creation of a building is truly remarkable. It’s too bad that our public officials cannot be bothered to exercise an equivalent amount of attention to detail when formulating laws and discharging duties.
Court denies permission for large apartment building on Seven Mile Beach
In a rare court ruling concerning a planning dispute over a proposed apartment development along Grand Cayman’s Seven Mile Beach, a Grand Court judge has questioned planning regulations that, heretofore, have allowed for the development of structures higher than seven stories in hotel/tourism zones.
