By ANGELO ARMBRISTER

Freeport News Reporter

The Harcourt Group yesterday made it official that Foxwoods Development Com-pany (FDC) will manage the Royal Oasis resort property.

The announcement came at the 10th Annual Grand Bahama Business Outlook forum, where Director of Harcourt Development Group Mike Murphy revealed that the deal was finalized earlier this week.

"We've been working at this for a very long time and we met with Foxwoods almost a year ago now and we've been in talks with them ever since," explained Murphy.

Harcourt Developments is a Dublin, Ireland-based property construction and management company controlled by Pat Doherty. The Royal Oasis deal was made final back in April 2007 for an estimated $33 million.

"We're the owners and developers of the property, but Foxwoods are going to be the operators," Murphy said.

Murphy added that Har-court is pleased to be working with Foxwoods in this venture because they are a proven company which successfully operates the world's largest casino.

"So we are very proud to have a company of the calibre of Foxwoods coming in because we think that they will enhance the property and the island," he said.

Some representatives from Foxwoods were present at the Business Outlook and one of them, Joseph Colebut, who sits as chairman on the company's board of managers, expressed his excitement to be in Grand Bahama.

Noting that because of the nature of the site, they are still in the assessment phase trying to determine what can be salvaged or done away with.

To that end the Ruby Golf course, he explained, "is not too bad" and should take a couple months to get it into shape, but the Emerald course is in need of a complete overhaul.

"Its a gorgeous site. The structure in a lot of instances is very good, so there is potential to keep some of the existing structures and use them and build upon them," he said, referring to the resort structure. "We really can't tell you exactly what it's going to look like in the end because we really don't know."

Pointing out that the project is still in its preliminary stage, Colebut said in terms of employment opportunities, they are looking at somewhere in the neighbourhood of 1,000 construction jobs and 1,000 permanent jobs once the facility is up and running.

Nelson Parker, vice president of development for Foxwoods, offered a little insight to the terms of agreement between themselves and Harcourt.

"We're going to be management services for the Royal Oasis, Harcourt, the owners of the property for a 30-year term once the doors open. Prior to that we're going to be providing some consulting and development services related to the overall development and renovation of the property," he said.

Among proposed plans for the property are the addition of a new hotel tower, multiple food and beverage venues, most likely a spa, all the typical types of resort amenities to make this a first-class destination.

Once the property is expanded and renovated, the resort will house anywhere from 650 to 700 hotel rooms.

Meanwhile, in a release issued by FDC, it stated that the company draws on the expertise that has taken them to the top of the gaming world.

"Foxwoods Development Company has a licence to operate a casino in Philadel-phia and is developing a gaming resort in southern California with another Native American tribe, and has other commercial gaming activities in various stages of development," the release read.

"We're delighted to have partnered with such world class operators as Foxwoods who have a wealth of experience and expertise in the leisure industry," said Pat Power, Director of Harcourt Developments. "We look forward to our working relationship with Foxwoods for many years to come and their involvement in the project is a testament to the future of Grand Bahama."

According to the company's website, FDC is committed to insuring that all of their involved projects move forward with a foreseeable goal of being financially successful.

"We have the proven ability to come through for you when it counts," read Foxwoods' website, adding that their management team is considered one of the strongest in the gaming industry.

CONGRATULATIONS — Minister of Tourism Neko Grant congratulates Joseph Colebut of Foxwoods Development Company after it was announced by Mike Murphy, director of Harcourt Development Company, that Foxwoods will manage the Royal Oasis Resort during the 10th Annual Grand Bahama Business Outlook in the Our Lucaya Convention Centre. Pictured from left is Minister of State for Finance Zhivargo Laing; Minister Grant, Colebut; David Johnson, Ministry of Tourism, and Murphy. (Photo by JENNEVA RUSSELL)