By LEDEDRA MARCHE

Senior FN Reporter

lededra@nasguard.com

The Ginn Company's massive development proposal for West Grand Bahama is still abuzz since the initial announcement by Prime Minister Perry Christie nearly two years ago.

But, unlike the then nationally televised an-nouncement, the prime minister's reference to the multi-million dollar project Saturday revealed that discussions and negotiations are now ongoing to settle a heads of agreement.

He was addressing business leaders in Grand Bahama this weekend at the Chamber of Commerce installation of officers banquet.

The Ginn Company was founded by Bobby Ginn and is a private real estate development and management firm.

The company is recognized as one of the leading development companies in the U.S. and is leading the way in future developments in Grand Bahama.

With a reputation for creating leisure lifestyle and resort communities in the Southeast, the Ginn proposal spells a major economic transformation of West End.

The massive proposal is to develop 2,500 acres of land and when fully completed, the Ginn development will comprise a capital investment of some one billion dollars.

The first phase will include a golf-course, 1,000 single-family lots, a 400-unit condo-style hotel, swimming pool, beach club marina, tennis courts and more.

Prime Minister Christie pointed out that the development, which will take place over a 10-year period, will bring certainty in the construction industry in Grand Bahama.

The Ginn Company has also agreed with the Grand Bahama Development Company to have a massive development with golf-courses, hotels, second homes, etc. on the eastern end of Freeport.

Hundreds of millions of dollars are expected to

be pumped into the Grand Bahama economy, creating more jobs and opportunities.

According to the company website, Ginn is currently under contract or actively developing nearly 18,000 acres in Florida with additional projects in South Carolina.

The Ginn Company is headquartered in Celebra-tion, Florida and has more than three decades of experience creating master-planned resort/residential leisure lifestyle and recreation-oriented communities primarily in Florida and Southeastern United States.

It's core business focus is on real estate development and sales; hospitality development and management; club management and operation; and the development and operation of the private resort golf-courses within its communities, the company states.