Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis – July 27th, 2007 (CUOPM)
For Immediate Public Release
Belmont Resorts Limited is to purchase the Golden Lemon Hotel in Dieppe Bay and the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis has ensured that business prospects of the hotel and the job security and benefits of its employees will be greatly improved.
This was disclosed Wednesday evening by Minister of State for Information, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty following Wednesday Cabinet Meeting.
He said that The Golden Lemon, with its present capacity of 26 rooms is expected to be refurbished and re-opened by November 2007 with an additional expansion phase planned for some time in 2008.
“The new and refurbished Golden Lemon Hotel will be managed and marketed by Sedona Resorts, a well-established leading upscale spa and resort management group from the United States. Sedona will appoint professional management with the relevant experience, and current members of staff will be retained,” Mr. Carty disclosed.He noted that The Golden Lemon has been on the market for several years and the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis “is extremely pleased that the business prospects of the hotel and the job security and benefits of its employees are now greatly improved.”
The resort management company, Sedona Resorts, will also undertake the management of the Kittitian Hill Resort, situated at Belmont near St. Paul’s. The Kittitian Hill project will involve the construction of a 120-room boutique hotel, 74 two-and three-bedroom apartments, 69 villas of three and four bedrooms, and an 18 hole golf course, ground work for which has already begun.
Mr. Carty said that as part of the development agreement with the government, a number of people-empowerment and community-based programmes will be carried out by Belmont Resorts Ltd before the opening of the Kittitian Hill Resort. These include a micro-entrepreneurship programme, an agricultural development programme and a hospitality training programme.
“These programmes will prepare small local entrepreneurs, farmers and hospitality workers to benefit from the new Kittitian Hill development. Details on these programmes will be forthcoming,” said Minister Carty.
