Come the middle of August this year, the 45-year-old Anguillian-owned Rendezvous Bay Hotel and Villas will be closed for just over two years. This will allow for a massive reconstruction and upgrading programme costing 536 million US dollars, all funded by the family of developers. The new luxury project is already being marketed abroad and an attractive marketing centre has been constructed from where sales are being handled by a team from Boutique Club International.

Some of the beach and inland villas to be demolished, giving way to new and expanded upmarket resort

The announcement by Managing Director, Alan Gumbs, on behalf of the family, came a few days ago on the eve of the third anniversary of the passing of the much-respected and visionary patriarch, Jeremiah Gumbs, on April 8, 2004. It fulfils a desire of the late United Nations spokesman during the Anguilla Revolution for his children to unite in further developing the hotel which he originally built and opened in 1962.

Some of the beach and inland villas to be demolished, giving way to new and expanded upmarket resort

“The idea of my father…was for his children to come together and work for the betterment of Anguilla,” Mr. Gumbs said. “Towards the end of his life I had some discussions with him and he said that unless all of us come together to undertake something like this, it wouldn’t make sense to do it. Over the last three years I have had numerous discussions with my brothers and my sister. We have looked at the impact this would have on our existing guests and how they could continue to be part of the hotel should they choose to do that. We have taken a lot of time to put together something to meet the needs of Anguilla and it is important that we have a local project of great magnitude that the Government and people can rely on.”

From the dust of these will arise new villas

Alan Gumbs was asked to describe the new project.

From the dust of these will arise new villas

“Our goal is to create on this site, one of the most fabulous sites in Anguilla and possibly in the Caribbean, the most outstanding and finest resort in the entire region, that we possibly can,” he replied. “We are going to operate at that 5, 6, 7 star level that people just dream about.

From the dust of these will arise new villas

“The expansion will cover the entirety of Rendezvous. The present buildings will be taken away and the entire site is going to be re-developed. We plan that the development will entail approximately 180 units. The conceptional drawings are being done. I assure you they will not be huge concrete bunkers. They will be much more innovative with a greater Caribbean flavour.”

From the dust of these will arise new villas

Mr. Gumbs said the point had been reached where the family of developers were now taking deposits from guests giving them the opportunity to own the kind of villas they wished to have on the site along the bay. “We are going to have super and luxurious villas along the shoreline and one and two bedroom apartments in certain areas,” he went on. “The site is going to be surrounded by fabulous town houses and on top of them there will be incredible pent house apartments. Our outstanding designer is Peter Merino, who lives in New York and has offices there and California and he has proposed two towers which will look out over the entire site.”

At present, there are a number of beautiful villas on the beach which opened in 1987. These are in addition to the much older buildings, nestled among the natural vegetation and the main building at the approach to the property which provides reception, dining and recreational facilities. It is unimaginable to think that they all will be demolished.

Mr. Gumbs said it was almost unthinkable when he had to tell his family-like, loyal and repeat guests last Christmas time that they could not re-book for next year because the hotel was going to be under construction. “You can imagine how difficult it was,” he told The Anguillian, “but the point is that I do not want to have guests living under construction. People asked why you don’t do this in phases and continue to have units. I have been in hotels where they have been doing construction: that’s no vacation for people. I really don’t think people want to come on vacation and be part of the process of construction. So we are going to bite the bullet, close the hotel in mid-August and it will not open again until December 2009.”
Do you realise the great sacrifice this will cost you? Mr. Gumbs was asked.

He laughed heartily. “Nat, you know who my parents were and I don’t think they would expect less from us,” he said. “What they would be happy about is that Una and Clyde and Duane and I are functioning together with the one single-minded goal of creating something that would be the very best and the most beautiful.

“I think it is important that Anguillians understand that they don’t have to give away or sell their property; that they can develop their property and maintain an interest in Anguilla.”

What is the size of your acreage? he was asked.

“We have 45 acres and in addition to that the Government has agreed to lease Rendezvous Pond to us,” he replied. “It is 77 acres and is a monumental expense to clean, but with a five-star resort it is necessary to do so and have the pond in a pristine condition…We have done all the geo-technical work; we have done an Environmental Impact Study and we plan to abide by every requirement.”

He noted for example that as the area was an important Amerindian site it was agreed for some archaeological work (being carried out by John Crock and others) to be done to preserve as many artefacts as possible . He gave the assurance that even when construction work started, every effort would be made to take care of any historical items found.

Dredging of the pond will commence shortly after the closing of the hotel and will be followed at the beginning of November with the actual construction of the new resort.

Mr. Gumbs said the Government had been very supportive of his family’s project. “They have granted me a Memorandum of Agreement and they have indicated a willingness to be helpful at every stage,” he further stated. “Of course what will be necessary for this to be successful is the complete cooperation of Government within the timing…For instance, Government has agreed to lease us the pond, now we need to get the Attorney General’s Office to get that lease done very quickly.

“One of the difficulties is that when foreign investors come to this island they may have three billion dollars in the bank or a billion dollars in funding from a large banking institution behind them. We, as local people, don’t have this. All we have is our land to work with. As such, time is absolutely of the essence in the process of producing a product like this.”
Gumbs is delighted to have his siblings working with him on the project. He is particularly grateful for the involvement of Clyde who is working full time with the development. “Clyde is a graduate of the Wharton School which is the top business school in the world,” he said. “He has a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He has a double Masters in Accounting and International Finance and Clyde has put his full force into this project along with me. With him out there taking care of the aspects he has, and with me on the ground, we have obviously the best opportunity of any local family to show the way in which we can take our local resources and develop them without having to give them to foreign developers. We will be supportive of every local project that comes on board and needs help in going forward. We would be happy to show them the successful way.”

Not only Mr. Gumbs and his family are proud to have their project built on the historic Rendezvous Bay, a prime habitat of the early inhabitants of Anguilla. Speaking on behalf of Boutique Club International, Russell Abeyraine commented:

“We are sharing with our prospective customers, not simply real estate, floor plans, construction material, new corridors or life-style grand. We have…the spirit, soul, and historical significance so incredibly rooted in the birth of a nation…It is so critical that this message is clearly articulated that emersion and feeling…and celebrating this truly once in a generation…are not diluted or lost in the translation. Timing, location, bequeathment and legacy take on a whole new dimension.”

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