NASSAU, The Bahamas—Baha Mar, the $3.5 billion resort rising in the Bahamian Riviera, celebrated its midway completion point with a “Roots and Wings” themed topping-off celebration. The festivities, held inside the active construction site, marked completion of the final level—the 25th floor—of The Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, the tallest structure at the 1,000-acre resort. Central to the arts-inspired topping-off event were announcements of the creation of Believe, Baha Mar’s philanthropic foundation, and a new design partnership with Bahamian Grammy-award winning performing artist, actor, and designer Lenny Kravitz . Baha Mar also announced it will partner with luxury spa operator ESPA, and unveiled a formal cultural alliance with The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas (NAGB).
The Rt. Hon. Perry Christie , Prime Minister of The Bahamas, who delivered an address at the event, joined Sarkis Izmirlian , Baha Mar Chairman and CEO, in signing a commemorative tree painting, which was created by Bahamian artists during the early part of the celebration. The painting later was affixed to the top floor of The Baha Mar Casino & Hotel in an artistic twist on the conventional placing-of-a-tree topping-off tradition.
“Today’s celebration is about so much more than a topping off,” said Izmirlian. “The ‘Roots and Wings’ theme, which was inspired by works at the national gallery, truly personifies the Baha Mar story. Baha Mar is at its core about The Bahamas. By creating a Bahamian art gallery in our convention center and public spaces and including the unique designs of our own Lenny Kravitz in our grandest villa and nightclub, we are leveraging world-class, authentic Bahamian elements to create a resort experience like no other in the world. With today’s milestone, Baha Mar is taking flight, ready to become the must-visit destination of this generation.”
Through an innovative alliance with Baha Mar, The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas (NAGB) will curate art works on loan from their significant collections as well as works from the prestigious D’Aguilar Art Foundation and the private Dawn Davies collection. Works will be displayed throughout common areas of the Baha Mar resort and in gallery spaces in the Baha Mar Convention Center.
Additionally, Baha Mar announced that ESPA, a British company that currently operates more than 350 exclusive spas in 55 countries, will operate Baha Mar’s destination spa. The company is well known for its philosophy of creating unique spa experiences that reflect the culture and geography of the destination.
Baha Mar, on schedule to open in December 2014, is set on 3,000 feet of beach just 12 minutes from Nassau’s newly expanded Lynden Pindling International Airport. The resort will feature a collection of hotel brands with gaming, entertainment, shopping and natural attractions that reflect an authentic Bahamian experience. The Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, with 1,000 rooms, is the centerpiece of the resort, and includes a 100,000-square-foot Las Vegas-style casino – the largest in the Caribbean region. A 700-room Grand Hyatt, a 300-room Mondrian, and the 200-room Rosewood Hotels & Resorts complete the accommodations at Baha Mar.
Amenities will include an 18-hole, 72-par championship Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course at Baha Mar, scheduled to open in February 2014, 185,000 square feet of combined convention facilities, as well as a 2,000-seat performing arts center, more than 30 restaurants, nightclubs, and bars, two spas, including the 30,000-square-foot destination ESPA at Baha Mar, designer retail boutiques,14 distinctive pool experiences, and a private island.
