Dart names Kimpton resort ‘Seafire’
Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, artist’s impression
(CNS Business): The ten-storey hotel and residency resort built by the Dart Realty (Cayman) on the former site of the Courtyard Marriott on the West Bay Road has been named the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa. Dart Realty CEO Mark VanDevelde said the countdown to the opening of the luxury resort, scheduled for November 2016, had started with the naming and the condos were now up for sale. The name of the hotel, “Seafire”, evoked Grand Cayman’s “stunning and celebrated sunset”, which will inspire the hotel’s interior design, outdoor spaces and guest experience, the firm said in a release.
The Kimpton-branded resort, which includes 62 condominiums next to the hotel, is situated on a 12-acre site on Seven Mile Beach, which became beachfront property after the controversial deal with the CIG, which has not yet been finalised, to give Dart a stretch of the West Bay Road in exchange for the Esterley Tibbetts Highway extension to West Bay.
Described by Dart Realty as “highly anticipated residences”, the condos start at around $1 million for a studio and up to $8 million for a penthouse.
Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, artist’s impression
“In keeping with our Dart philosophy of design excellence, The Residences at Seafire will offer a perfect balance of sand, sea and sun combined with every amenity imaginable for families seeking the exceptional Caribbean living, all inspired by our shareholder Ken Dart’s own experience with his young family when they first visited the island more than 20 years ago,” claimed COO of Dart Realty, Jackie Doak.
VanDevelde said it was also testament to Dart’s commitment to help grow the local economy and create new opportunities that will benefit the island’s strong tourism industry. The hotel is reportedly beginning the recruitment process shortly for the 300 jobs that will be on offer there. Although Dart management has said it will be seeking to recruit locally for many of the jobs, top-level positions will be going to people from American and other Caribbean islands.
Category: Stay-over tourism, Tourism
Well, welcome Seafire!
Impressive project and, if history of this developer is any guide, it will be done well!
Now let’s say this was somewhere else where permission to develop was tied to a requirement to not only develop a physical structure, but also the human capital living in the surroundings!
A developer would accept that condition as logical, because, the success of this project depends heavily on the attractiveness and peacefulness of the destination.
So, the preparation and training of a local workforce would happen at the same time as the construction of said Resort, so that upon opening for business the Resort could be staffed with people that would not only represent the corporate image of the organisation operating the Resort, but also the country or destination in which it is located!
Sounds like a win / win to me!
What say you Kimpton – Seafire – Grand Cayman?
You have a year, start training Caymanians! ( not 10, but 2 – 3 hundred)
And, don’t say it can’t be done, C&W used to do it, so does Customs, Cayman Airways, the Fire Service, etc.
I really can’t wait for this open. I bet it is going to be fantastic.