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ST. CROIX — The V.I. government is well on its way in transforming the current Hotel on the Cay in Christiansted to what Governor Albert Bryan hopes will be a prized facility that accommodates both locals and visitors.
During a brief interview with the Consortium following a V.I. Port Authority event at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport Thursday, the governor confirmed that a request for proposals is current out, and that within a month or so, the administration would select three developers to begin the final phase of choosing a firm to build a resort that all Virgin Islanders can be proud of.
"The RFP is out now. We have done two tours so far with developers interested in the hotel and the property. I think the bid closes in another month or so and we're looking to probably pick three of them who have good proposals, review them, make sure they have the monies and finances intact, and then hopefully pick a developer," Mr. Bryan said.
The Consortium first reported on the Hotel on the Cay matter in September 2019. At the time, the Dept. of Property and Procurement expressed dissatisfaction with the lessee, and announced during a Senate hearing that it planned on opening a bidding process for a new developer. Then in February, Governor Bryan said an RFP would have gone out in March, a process that will soon be completed.
Asked about his vision for the property, the governor spoke of a premier facility that would make best use of not only the unique land, but also the surrounding waterway.
"I really want to be able to get a concept hotel there. I don't want to say too much because it is still out for RFP, but something that connects with Christiansted and engages not only the people coming from away, but our local people as well," Mr. Bryan said. "That's a nice waterway through there and it would be nice to see some places where you could have boats and stuff go over to the Cay." The governor would also like to see investments in what he said was a "yacht culture" for St. Croix similar to marinas in St. Thomas. "Those people spend a lot of money and we don't have many marinas in St. Croix, so we're looking forward to what these developers are going to offer," he said.
Relative to development timeline, the governor said, "I wish I could have a hotel built like yesterday; but if we could get to construction before the end of next year, that would be optimum."
As for the company that held the lease, Mr. Bryan said the relationship was exhausted and the government does not desire a continuation. "The lease is clear that the lease is expired. There's an option to renew there, but they have not been very update to date with their lease and the keeping of it. That's not what we want to see for St. Croix and for the Virgin Islands. We're looking to have a premier property over there," the governor said.
The 5-acre government property sits by itself with pristine oceanfront views of Christiansted.
During the Port Authority event held moments before the brief interview, the governor said of Hotel on the Cay, "After 100 years of lease, we're now getting that property back and we're going to put something on there that we could be proud of for the world to see."
