IGY Completes Renovation at Rodney Bay Marina
St. Lucia Marina Destination Unveils its 248 Newly Renovated Berths Including the New Megayacht Dock and Upgraded Facilities
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA (January 14, 2009): Island Global Yachting (IGY), one of the world’s premier owners, developers and managers of luxury marinas and yachting lifestyle destinations, has completed a multi-million dollar reconstruction of its Rodney Bay Marina in St. Lucia and recently welcomed the vessels of the 2008 Atlantic Rally for Crusiers (ARC). The new Rodney Bay Marina now features 248 fully-reconstructed slips and a new megayacht pier offering 32 berths with the highest quality of support facilities for megayachts up to 250 feet in length. The next phase of development at the marina will include the property’s upland facilities and boatyard and is slated for the coming years.
The marina was officially re-introduced on St. Lucia’s National Day during a ceremony for ARC.
St. Lucia ’s Prime Minister, the Honorable Stephenson King noted, “I believe today is a very great honor for me on this our National Day, to be here to signify the realization of a dream. Twenty years or so this place was transformed by the Father of the Nation, into what many never imagined it would turn out to be. Andrew Farkas came forward two years ago and built on that foundation, which was established by the late Sir John Compton. I would like to thank Andrew Farkas and IGY for coming forward and demonstrating confidence in the government and people of St Lucia. The Rodney Bay Marina is an icon for St Lucia and the Caribbean that we can sell to the world. This facility can probably be the greatest single non-public sector contributor to the GDP.”
"The new Rodney Bay Marina is the finest marina in the Southern Caribbean for yachts of all sizes, and the new megayacht berths position St. Lucia as the core megayacht destination in the region,” commented Andrew Farkas, founder and chairman of IGY.
“Sir John Compton, who created the Rodney Bay lagoon approximately four decades ago, was an early supporter of our renovation plan, and I am truly sorry that he did not live to see the new Rodney Bay Marina stand as the center of yachting hospitality in the region.”
The marina also received high praise from this year’s ARC participants and organizers who noted the improvements to the quality of the marina’s facilities and service.
Further to this, Andrew Bishop, managing director of World Cruising Club, announced the signing of a new five-year contract to keep the Caribbean stage of the ARC at the new Rodney Bay Marina.
For the past 16 years, the marina has been the completion stop for the famous ARC, a grueling 2,700 nautical mile voyage undertaken by more than 230 yachtsmen each year.
Rodney Bay Marina was acquired in early 2007 by IGY. The company considers the marina as a cornerstone of its portfolio in the Caribbean and is dedicated to showcasing the marina and the island of St. Lucia as one of top megayacht destinations in the world. Already a leading center for yachting, sailing and sport fishing, the Rodney Bay Marina also offers a 4.5 acre boatyard (also being renovated) and is situated in a well-protected hurricane hole. The Rodney Bay Marina was established in 1986 by Arch Marez, a California-based entrepreneur who died in 2005. Through the years, the Rodney Bay Marina has become the center of yachting tourism on the island of St. Lucia, complementing the luxury hotels and condominiums which support its northern tourism belt.
For reservations and more information on the newly renovated Rodney Bay Marina, please click to www.igy-rodneybay.com.
IGY’s network of properties is setting new standards for service and quality in nautical tourism throughout the world. The company offers an unprecedented collection of marinas in the Caribbean including locations such as: St. Maarten, St. Lucia, the British Virgin Islands, and St. Thomas, as well as properties in the Americas and the Mediterranean. In addition, IGY is at the forefront of the emerging marina market in the Middle East.
ABOUT ISLAND GLOBAL YACHTING -- From the islands of the Caribbean to the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf and other beautiful yachting destinations around the world, IGY is redefining the very idea of luxury marina experiences. Founded in 2005, IGY focuses on acquiring, controlling and/or servicing luxury-yacht marinas and the surrounding upland real estate properties. Island Global Yachting marinas operate under the signature Yacht Haven Grande collection and the IGY series brands, as well as several private labels. Headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, IGY also has offices in New York, NY; St. Thomas, USVI; Barcelona, Spain; and Dubai, UAE.
IGY is an affiliate of Island Capital Group LLC, a real estate merchant banking firm led and founded by Andrew Farkas, former chairman of Insignia Financial Group.
For more information, please visit www.igymarinas.com.
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