An appreciative sector of the Anguillian community joined tourism officials, government ministers and members of the Opposition on Thursday evening, December 7th 2023, to witness the ground breaking for the commencement of the construction of Anguilla’s first yacht marina at the Altamer Resort. The marina will be constructed under the auspices of personnel from the Southwest Harbour Group.
The Government’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ivan Connor, was the moderator for the event.
Mr. Francis Greenburger
“Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests and supporters of this remarkable project welcome to this ground breaking ceremony of what is destined to be a beautiful marina here at the Altamer Harbour Yacht Club and Resort,” he said. “Today marks a momentous occasion as we celebrate the embarkation of this journey to create a breathtaking waterfront destination that will captivate the hearts of all who visit it.”
Mr. Connor invited the audience to envision the transformation of the Altamer waterfront: “Imagine the vibrant tapestry of colors that will soon adorn the marina,” he said. “Imagine the echoes of laughter and joy that will fill the air and the shared memories that will be created against the backdrop of these serene waters.”
He said that the marina would be more than just a place to berth boats, but that it will be a sanctuary of relaxation, a hub of adventure and a haven for dreamers.
The multimillion dollar resort yacht marina will comprise a hotel located on the waterfront side of Altamer Villas. The resort will feature a berthing port for 118 yachts – each as long as 250 feet – as well as a 62-room five-star hotel, 58 branded residences which include 20 beach-front villas, 48 resort condominiums, a fitness center, a spa and duty-free shopping. The complex will also feature its own self-contained immigration and customs services.
“The journey taken to reach this ground breaking was not a smooth one,” the Honourable Minister of Infrastructure Haydn Hughes said, “but it can be deemed transformational. This is a great time in the history of Anguilla’s development. We are also now on the cusp of breaking ground for a brand new, modern international airport terminal, a cargo building and runway extension.”
“This together with our destination hub and our presence at the Monaco and Florida Boat Shows,” he said, “demonstrate our commitment to being a serious player in the yachting sector.”
He noted that the commitment and investment of the South West Harbour Group and the determination of the APM administration have placed Anguilla at the forefront of luxury travel and will ensure enormous economic growth, resilience and opportunity for all the residents of Anguilla.
The Honourable Premier Dr. Ellis Webster and Minister of Economic Development also spoke at the event and highlighted its landmark significance.
“This is one of those things,” he said, “that will go down in Anguillian history as a great pillar of economic resilience, financial stability and financial independence for this little gem of ours that we call home.”
“I am very pleased to be here to celebrate this important step forward in the development of Anguilla’s tourism industry,” the owner of Altamar Villas, Francis Greenburger stated. “We could not be more pleased for Anguilla and ourselves that this important project is now moving forward. We look forward to a high quality project consistent with Anguillian standards that we hope will add an important dimension to the Anguillian experience.”
Owner of Antillean LLC and the CFO of South West Harbour Inc. Mr. George Frazer, also spoke in enthusiastic tones about the highly anticipated tourism-oriented project. Mr. Fraser is a native of St. Kitts who is now based in Trinidad.
“Not long ago, we were invited by the previous administration to bid for the development of a marina in Sandy Ground,” he said, “but everyone knows that that did not come to fruition. I did reach out to Dr. Webster when his administration came into office, and I told him that we were determined to stay in Anguilla to develop a marina here…About one year ago we signed an MOU with Altamer, and today we are here breaking the ground for this marina.”
Other project directors presenting addresses at the noteworthy groundbreaking included Mr. Lars Gunnar Odhe, Mrs. Nalini Chariandy (Sec) and Mr. David Mizrahi of SF Antillean Inc (SFA).
Phase One of the project which comprises the marina infrastructure is scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2025 and the hotel component is slated to be opened in the third quarter of 2026.
