International Bazaar remains a 'ghost town'

By GENEA NOEL

Freeport News Reporter

Almost a month ago shop owners at the International Bazaar announced that they had reduced store rental costs by half price in an effort to revitalize the once popular shopping area. Despite their vigorous efforts, however, not much has changed.

Chris Payne, shop owner and vice president of the International Bazaar Owners Association (IBOA), yesterday said there is nothing more that they can do because the closure of the Royal Oasis Hotel greatly affected their businesses.

"The hotel's customers were our biggest customers," said Payne.

According to Payne, more than 50 percent of the shops in the International Bazaar have closed down and no one has really taken advantage of the low rent prices.

Payne said that owners simply could not afford the rent, even with the decrease in rental prices, adding that as the cost of living continues to increase, it will now be even harder to keep the remaining stores open.

Shop owners seemed optimistic about the promised Norwegian Sky Cruise customers; however, Payne still does not see how their arrival will improve business, be-cause there is so little to be desired.

The Norwegian Sky is expected to bring more than 100,000 passengers to Grand Bahama annually, during its new calls at the Freeport Harbour.

As early as July of this year, some 40,000 passengers are expected to visit to the island along with visitors travelling on the Discovery Sun Cruise Line. With a minimum of 42 calls to Grand Bahama expected over the course of next year and some 21 calls by the end of this year, International Bazaar owners had promised to assist in making the site visually appealing.

Payne says that the restoration efforts have been slow, mainly because of financial reasons, adding that the slight trickle of customers does nothing to boost the morale of the shop owners.

Payne's one glimmer of hope seems to lie with the hopeful opening of the Royal Oasis Hotel, in the next two years. However, there has been no word from the Harcourt Development Company (HDC), when work will begin. The only information that the shop owners do know is that the HDC, based in Ireland, had secured the bid last May to purchase the closed 427-acre property. Many promises have been made by the company but nothing has happened.

"It is rumoured that work may begin at the hotel within two years time," said Payne. "I see this as our only resolution."

The International Bazaar was once known as a premier shopping attraction for the island of Grand Bahama. Now business owners can only describe it as a ghost town, as they wait to learn the fate of the Royal Oasis Hotel.

© 2008 The Freeport News