BVI News

Premier wants drag racing stadium on Beef Island if gov’t wins the land

A drag racing sporting facility could possibly be erected on Beef Island.

Premier Andrew Fahie made that announcement during a public broadcast Friday evening, April 19.

However, drag racing will only be facilitated at the location if government is successful in acquiring the land from Hong Kong investor, Raymond Hung.

“You should know that your government is engaged in the arbitration process with regard to the Hung Lands at Beef Island,” Premier Fahie said in his statement.

Hung reportedly acquired more than 650 acres of the land in 1995 through a non-Belonger land-holding license.

The conditions under which the Hong Kong investor was granted the license was for him to develop a five-star resort and golf course on Beef Island — a project which should have been started within a year of getting the license and last no longer than seven years.

Reports are that the project had experienced delays because of a legal battle with preservationists who tried to block the development. And although the Hong Kong developer eventually won the legal battle, the project still has not commenced; now, more than two decades later.

The BVI Airports Authority has therefore appointed a special committee to negotiate the reacquisition of the lands at Beef Island.

“Acquiring just over 600-plus acres of land will allow the government to pursue development initiatives that will enhance the economy,” Premier Fahie said on Friday.

“Additionally, this is a possible site to house our proposed drag racing stadium which is a potential opportunity for sports tourism and this will attract increased visitor and cargo traffic to the territory,” he added.

The leader of government business did not give any details on the progress of the ongoing arbitration.

Premier Fahie first announced his intention to make drag racing an official sport in the BVI back in 2019.

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50 Comments

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  1. Anonymous says:

    All while our archaic infrastructure, education system, and social services lay in tatters! F-ing genius this guy is!

    How about investing in what will truly help our people get to the next level and compete. Instead you baffle them with bull$hit and meaningless things to keep the petty minded at bay, and pacify whomever is able to line your pockets!

    Crime is on the rise, you can’t enforce basic traffic laws, drugs trafficking is rampant, our youth’s education a joke, our elderly left to their own, medical and mental health a secondary concern, environment a far gone thought! A race track should be so low on the agenda right now it is not even mentioned!

    Like 136
    Dislike 2
  2. Help says:

    “Reports are that the project had experienced delays because of a legal battle with preservationists who tried to block the development”
    “this is a possible site to house our proposed drag racing stadium which is a potential opportunity for sports tourism and this will attract increased visitor”
    Preservationist consider a drag strip to be beneficial to the environment?
    You really can’t make this stuff up, every week something even more silly.

    Like 60
  3. Why? says:

    The reason they choose to race on Beef Island is because of the long stretch of road. If you’re looking into building a ‘drag racing stadium’ why does it need to be on Beef Island? Just curious….

    Like 16
    Dislike 1
    • Noise, noise, noise says:

      Don’t take away the reason people visit the BVI. Drag Racing is one of the loudest possible uses of that land. For the handful of enthusiasts that might visit as a novelty, you’ll be chasing away many thousands. Noise complaints from The Valley VG to Norman Island are guaranteed.

  4. What!!!! says:

    A brilliant idea to destroy the value of everyone’s property close by.

    Like 58
    Dislike 1
  5. Wow says:

    Can,t beleive it
    What a improvement
    Dump polution in the west
    Noise polution in the east

    Wecome to the “So” Virgin Islands

    Like 48
  6. What? says:

    The premier you call him ?

    Like 26
  7. Self Sustainability says:

    What about agriculture on that land??

    Like 40
    Dislike 2
  8. Doh says:

    So what are we talking here, 1/4 or 1/8 mile track? With safety perimeter and runaway stops? Beef can’t handle either. Nice try…

    Just put it right through the middle of roadtown. It’s already a race track down there.

    Carry on

    Like 44
  9. Hon Fahie at it again.. says:

    Mr. Premier please fix our primitive infrastructure, roads, schools and security, drug trafficking issues , jobs for young people . where is the plan for recovery from Irma /Covid?

    Like 30
    Dislike 1
  10. Ghetto says:

    This man is soo ghetto. No class, no vision. Who is he trying to please now?

    Like 43
    Dislike 1
  11. Boomin! says:

    Who needs stupid resorts, the drag stadium is what we need. Fast cars, casinos and marijuana are our answers, what are we waiting on? Let’s get it! BVI LOVE!!

    Like 11
    Dislike 2
  12. Rubber Duck says:

    There is one drag race strip in the whole of Europe. It gets attendances like a 4th tier football club. How could anyone outside of la la land imagine that a drag strip in the BVI would attract tourists? All It would attract are the idiots with the noisy bikes and make everyone on Beef Islands life a misery.

    What’s your next brilliant idea Albert? A ski school on Sage Mountain?

    Like 43
    Dislike 1
  13. Eyes tested says:

    Whoever put the photo at the top is as dumb as the government.

    There are no bends on a drag racing strip. Hello.

    Like 13
  14. Like a Fox says:

    I see it now. Fahie is a math teacher, so the conversation went like this. “instead of having 100,000 tourists spending $100 each, how about we get 20 people to each spend $200,000.00”

    Problem solved – next!

    Like 11
  15. He’s looking for 2023 votes says:

    He looking for a way to garner votes.

    Like 10
    Dislike 1
  16. Forsight says:

    Last time I was in the BVI I looked around and thought to myself. You know what this place needs to make it even better….A Drag racing track. This Mr Fahie is an out of the box thinker I tell ya.

    Like 19
    Dislike 1
  17. Not needed says:

    Actually , now that I think about it. Seeing that the airport is not needed now that you have no tourists, why not just drag race on the runway. Andrew can do it like the ferries. Mondays for planes. Tuesday through Sunday drag racing! Win Win!

    Like 30
  18. say it isn't so says:

    Invest in education, health, tourism, your people you big f** l**r!

    Like 22
    Dislike 1
  19. Rastarite says:

    Visitors come to the BVI for yachting, boating, luxury villas. They will not come for drag racing where there are many opportunities in the US. This is the mind set of a politician who is fishing for young people’s votes. All the pollution, noise pollution, potential accidents. – Absolute nonsense from a leader with NO VISION

    Like 29
  20. Common sense says:

    One needs to ask the real question: why has the owner of the land not invested in the development of a hotel, or, anything else. It’s the same reason why nobody else has, the BVI’s racist and discriminatory governmental behavior.

    Like 22
    Dislike 2
    • Researcher says:

      I and others have proposed that BVI could attract research and development businesses to BVI. Where better to live while you develop new software or medical treatments.

      But the projects fail on the BVIs discriminatory labour laws.

      All these major companies are “ equal opportunity employers “ who refuse to give preference to one group over another.

      This short sighted discrimination will be the death of the BVI economy. Though the government does plenty more to kill it too.

      • Research? says:

        Have you attempted to have a partnership with the College. The College has a globally recognized literary mind as its President so don’t spout nonsense about the College being crappy. Do you know anything about it? Have you tried to partner with the private sector? NPOs? No just here keyboarding the government to death while you have not fully RESEARCHED all of your options.

        • Wa says:

          President known , college ain’t ting. That dude ain’t say college anything. Just speaking truth as u jackass attitude takin food of table for u kids and my. StrupesAF

  21. so says:

    So no 5 star golf course but a drag racing track is far better for the environment?

    Like 20
  22. !!! says:

    Not Road Town, no one will come to watch because the sewerage sink is so disgusting .

    Like 13
  23. Ty ty says:

    All you old people salty

    Like 1
    Dislike 13
  24. hahahaha says:

    This one takes the cake !!

    Like 15
    Dislike 1
  25. Mr Green says:

    Your experts regarding profits, size needed are totally ill informed. Drag racing is done in a straight line. Your picture is known as drifting.
    So, if you can’t even figure that out you should sit on the side. Come on, you have any idea how much speed costs? MPH equals lots of $$$$$. You make ZERO money NET drag racing. A family member of mine manages a very large Motor Sports Complex in the U.S. He is smart and has lots of experience.They have a very large population to draw from and work their butts off to make a little bit of money on an annual basis. The owner owns the facality so no debt. Never ever work in Tortola!!!!!
    Flat land in Tortola is too valueable. Much better uses available.

    Like 18
  26. @Doh says:

    The guy just makes s**t up as he goes along, no clue at all. What ever happened to the 1000 jobs in 1000 days? Will they blame COVID for that too? People are hurting and Government has done NOTHING except talk s**t and spend on nonsense. Now the BVIPA has raised fees and Government is telling you point blank they want to make it more expensive for you to shop and ship goods into the Territory.

    Like 22
  27. Derval Fletcher says:

    Why are you people always so negative?

    Like 1
    Dislike 14
  28. Wow says:

    And one by Sébastian, every Saturday

  29. Hmmmm. says:

    Guess election soon here. He Throwing everything out there to see what sticks. Stop playing political games with people and think them is fools.

    Like 12
    Dislike 1
  30. Coffin says:

    Another nail in the Premier’s coffin

    Like 18
    Dislike 1
  31. D says:

    The BVI Airports Authority has therefore appointed a special committee to negotiate the reacquisition of the lands at Beef Island.

    Any of that land if they get it back would be for airport development or Resorts. I can’t see them putting a drag strip there

  32. smh says:

    what about rebuilding the high school ? drag racing should not be priority right now. what about food security ?

    Like 11
  33. A concerned citizen says:

    WE HAVE BIGGER FISH TO FRY HERE:
    1)TOWN STILL STINK
    2)SCHOOLS AINT OPEN FULLY
    3)WE CANNOT FEED OURSELVES IN THE EVENT THAT FOOD CAN NO LONGER BE IMPORTED HERE.
    4) SOME DISTRICTS DO NOT HAVE RUNNING WATER 24/7 for example Sea Cows Bay and Purcell Estate.
    5) HAVE YOU SEEN OUR ROADS?????
    6) LET ME NOT EVEN TALK ABOUT HOW UNREALISTIC MINIMUM WAGE IS COMPARED TO THE COST OF LIVING
    We got too much important agendas that we don’t speak on. We don’t need a damn drag racing track. WE HAVE ISSUES REAL ISSUES. WE NEED ANSWERS AND SOLUTIONS NOT ENTERTAINMENT.

    Like 26
  34. Joni says:

    Don’t it always seem to go
    That you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone? Bye local fish & lobster it was nice eating you…
    We’re paving paradise and putting up a redneck parking lot

    Like 11
  35. @ BOOmin& sustAINABILY says:

    So YOU GUYS DO A NUMBED ON MY BLOG AM AMAZED BUT THE MESSAGE IS STILL THERE / VERY CUNNING IF I MAY ADD

  36. @ rubber duck says:

    I like that one / I guess we going to start start practicing in preparation for coming down sage mountain on skis

  37. Hmmm says:

    People hungry!

  38. Bojan says:

    Well sah now times hard you will hear what the land cost now vs what was paid,and tourist not traveling for all the vaccine still not helping them check how the count keep going up so it will be longer for real tourist to ever come here 2021 and 2022 out start to plant food.

  39. Bree says:

    Dear Premier: When you build the stadium will you be upgrading our health care system with a trauma unit? You know we will need it. Just look at the current situation with the scooter riders. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against this because I believe if done right we can all benefit from it. However, proper medical facilities is needed to accommodate such request.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  40. Well sah says:

    Hahaha Andrew Fahie is the worst premier in the bvi
    There are more important things that needs fixing
    But this man mean he will run the bvi bankrupt before he get vote out next election
    My god how more stupid can’t this man be

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