Copyright thenassauguardian
Eric Gibson Jr., owner of Bahama Grill and developer of the $45 million King’s Court hotel on West Bay Street, has signed on with the Hilton hotel brand as a partner. Gibson Jr. told Guardian Business yesterday that he is very excited that Hilton is re-entering the Bahamian tourism market with King’s Court. “We were pursuing two brands, but Hilton edged out its competitor because it has name recognition in the region.” Gibson is finalizing the last details with regard to the project’s financing partner, before he makes a formal announcement on when the project will break ground, but he is hoping that the groundbreaking will occur before the end of the year. “All things being equal, we should have an announcement before the end of the year, for sure. I was hoping I would have been much further by now, but these things take time, and there’s a lot that’s out of my control.” Gibson added: “I’ve been pursuing this project for the last year and a half, diligently. So, we’re looking for it to come to fruition.” Gibson continued: “It’s big. That’s why I can’t wait to get to the finish line. Everyone is excited about it. The more I talk about it, the more people are excited, the more they realize the significance of it and how it’s going to stimulate a lot. People are watching. The younger entrepreneurs are watching, and they’re looking to see, where is the glass ceiling? And at the end of this, hopefully there will be none. They will realize that it’s wide open, and they just need to pursue things. That’s what I intend to share. You know, it’s a big story coming, but when you say you’re doing a hotel, people expect to see it out of the ground the next day. But it’s a lot more than that.” The construction of the King’s Court hotel is projected to run over 18 to 24 months, and will see the demolition of existing buildings to facilitate the hotel and 114 parking spaces adjacent to the Bahama Grill restaurant. It will be set on 1.39 acres between Lavelle Road and Lucayan Road, boasting a seven-story hotel and other amenities. “I want to stimulate individuals to think and dream bigger than just a mom-and-pop operation, to go after whatever is available in the market, and just pursue their dreams with consistency,” Gibson added.
