The Bahamas government is facing increased scrutiny over the stalled redevelopment of the Grand Lucayan resort, with Deputy Prime Minister Chester Cooper declining to address the missed deadline for a crucial project update and redirecting inquiries to the developer, Concord Wilshire. The evasion occurred on the sidelines of a public event, where Cooper advised journalists to contact the developer directly for statements, asserting he had “no more comments on it.
This development follows a February 23rd statement from the U.S.-based developer, which pledged to announce key project milestones “within the next two weeks,” setting an implicit deadline around March 9th. That announcement, which vehemently denied reports of a collapsed $120 million acquisition deal with the government, promised to reveal formal commencement dates for development, construction activities, and two major cruise line destination resorts, alongside the start of demolition and preparatory works.
No such update has materialized, making the February statement the sole public communication from Concord Wilshire since it inked a Heads of Agreement with the Davis administration in May 2025. The government has consistently supported the developer’s position, with Prime Minister Philip Davis recently urging public patience and affirming that progress was being made for the benefit of Grand Bahamians.
The landmark project, envisioned to revitalize the resort shuttered since Hurricane Matthew in 2016 with only a section operational, carries significant economic promises. Official projections anticipate the creation of 1,300 construction jobs and over 1,700 permanent positions upon completion, highlighting the high stakes of the current silence and missed communications.