WITH THE MONTHEND deadline for the closure of Almond Beach Village fast approaching, two of Barbados’ leading businessmen have added their names to what is shaping up to be a powerful local and international mix of interests competing for the 31-acre beachfront property.
Construction magnate Bjorn Bjerkhamn, of Jada Construction Limited, and Paul Doyle, owner of the upscale Crane Resort in St Philip, have both confirmed their interest in buying the St Peter hotel.
And in a separate interview with the SUNDAY SUN yesterday, Minister of Tourism Richard Sealy said negotiations with interested parties were at a “fairly well advanced” stage. He revealed that top international hotel brand Ritz Carlton was among those making a strong play for Almond, which has also caught the eye of the Sandals Resorts International, led by Jamaican hotelier Gordon “Butch” Stewart.
“I am not part of the negotiations, but there’s been a high level of interest. There are some serious people showing some serious interest. People have already done inspections of the property and even started to think in terms of basic concepts,” Sealy said.
Read the full story in today’s SUNDAY SUN.
