NEW PLAN: Margaritaville not coming this year!

Margaritaville is not likely to start operating in the British Virgin Islands until perhaps the next two years; this as Government charts new plans for the building that was to be constructed at Tortola Pier Park to house the multi-national bar and restaurant.

A year ago, Minister of Communication and Works Mark Vanterpool stated that the structure to house Margaritaville would have been completed in 2016.

But the construction site – up to now – only has a building foundation outlined.

Vanterpool this month told BVI News Online: “It (the building) definitely won’t be ready for this year (2017); I don’t see it being ready until about 2018 December.”

He indicated that the state-owned BVI Ports Authority is no longer making the proposed building only available for Magaritaville. There are bigger plans.

“We take a re-look at the building itself – the value, and what will be happening there. Rather than a one-floor building, we could look at something with a little more value for the site. Therefore, we are looking at that.”

“They (members of the BVI Ports Authority) are still discussing with the Margaritaville group and the Sage Group; they are looking at a different concept for the building to include Magaritaville, but a different concept,” added Vanterpool.

He further told BVI News Online that Margaritaville should not be blamed for the delay; neither should Sage Group – the local entity attempting to facilitate the Margaritaville operation.

“There is no issue and there is not a problem with Margaritaville; and it is not a fault of the Sage Group. It is a decision that we [in Government] decided to take recently where we were suggesting that we take a re-look at the building itself,” Vanterpool further said.

He, back in November last year, stated that he had given instruction for construction of the building to be halted.

“From my point of view as minister, I asked that the project be more clearly defined to ensure that the Port Authority doesn’t spend more than it should on the project,” Vanterpool further said last year.

Meanwhile, he, this month, stated that the revenue lost specifically as a result of the delay regarding Margaritaville is yet to be determined.