BakerÂ’s Bay, Discovery Land CompanyÂ’s latest venture on Great Abaco, shows true grit and growth in the Bahamas. By Scott Kauffman
Located on Great Guana Cay about eight miles from the Bahamian island of Great Abaco, BakerÂ’s Bay Golf and Ocean Club is Discovery LandÂ’s newest private golf and resort-style community.
Discovery Land executives recently celebrated the grand opening of their Tom Fazio-designed golf course with good reason. After the global financial crisis sank dozens of luxury communities in the Caribbean from 2007 to 2009, BakerÂ’s Bay not only survived, but it thrived. Heading into the 2011 selling season, Discovery Land partner Steve Adelson is bullish about BakerÂ’s Bay.
His optimism is fueled by an estimated $50 million in sales already written in the first part of 2011, not to mention another “$15 million on the books,” according to Adelson.
Adds Adelson: “Just based on holiday activity with the recovery in the New York and Northeast (U.S.) markets and some European markets weÂ’re starting to market…we see 2011 as being a robust year.”
That says a lot for a community where custom homes start at $6 million, four-bedroom developer townhomes start at $2.5 million, and single-family marina and oceanfront residences range from $4.5 million to $6 million. The planned 375-unit development has approximately 10 custom homes and 20 developer homes in construction.
Discovery has invested almost $30 million in golf course and other infrastructure over the last 12 months, including the opening of a 200-slip state-of-the-art marina for yachts up to 250 feet.
“After the shock of 2007, ’08 and ’09, we’re going back to our roots, so to speak,” Adelson says. “High-net-worth individuals are no longer looking at real estate just as an investment. Now, they’re looking at it as an investment in family.”
Must Sea: La Samanna by Orient-Express
Already renowned for its French Caribbean fare, La Cave, the world-class wine cellar at La Samanna by Orient-Express, is now offering a cheese cellar to pair up with some of the finest wines in the world. Guests can sample artisanal selections like Salers cheese coupled with Alpha Montes Chardonnay or Morbier cheese with Chablis Laroche Chardonnay. Regularly recognized by Wine Spectator for its extensive selection, La Cave features 12,000 bottles of wine, including 1,250 labels from 13 countries. A variety of 20 cheeses is delivered to the cellar twice weekly from the French fromagerie Maison Bordier. The resort also welcomes Executive Chef Vincent Wallez to its Le Réservé restaurant. Chef Wallez developed a menu that allows visitors to create customized meals based on fresh offerings and their preferences. When not sampling the resort’s cuisine, guests can enjoy a sunset cruise, relax at the spa, or experience the vibrant scene in St. Martin. lasamanna.com. —M.G.