TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Email from Diamond

"Update on St. Maarten



As we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic together, the health and safety of our owners and team members has remained our top priority. Nearly every industry has been impacted by the crisis and unfortunately, we have been forced to make some difficult decisions, including adjusting the reopening timeline for our resorts in St. Maarten.

The St. Maarten government has issued strict social distancing measures, including ordering all construction projects to cease work until further notice. Because of these orders, we have been forced to stop all reconstruction work at both Royal Palm Beach Resort and Flamingo Beach Resort.

With many unknown factors, including how long the government orders will last, the availability of materials on the island and the 2020 hurricane season, we cannot determine a definitive reopening date. At this time, we estimate the resorts will reopen in spring 2021. However, we caution that date could change based on the unknown factors.

We know this situation is not ideal and appreciate your understanding.

We are eager to complete work on the resorts and welcome everyone home for a much-deserved vacation. We will continue to follow all government mandates and guidelines, and hope to have a positive update for you as soon as work resumes.

In the meantime, we want to thank you for your continued support during this unprecedented time. Our Owner Services Team is available to answer any questions you may have and is available anytime by calling 1.800.463.7256."

Interesting how a couple of months of lockdown translates to 6 months or more of delay...

No other choice to make .

Yes, they can't work right now, but figure by the summer, they will be back at work. Just means that they were never going to open when they said they were.

We are going to make one of our big bedroom facing the Runaway to AirBND lol.

Yep, more excuses and drivel from Diamond. Sad for owners, but convenient for Diamond.

I think the issue now is the supply chain. It is going to take a lot to get shipping and deliveries from the various places in the world to complete the work.

And yet, Simpson Bay is renovating all of the Villas between August and November.

Good for them.

From my understanding, all the supplies are already on island.

I believe only the hard supplies like tilings plumbing fixtures countersinks cabinets etc are there. Interior furnishings like tables chairs bed etc are yet to come.

When you say 'yet to come', do you mean not shipped to the island or not yet installed? As, to my knowledge, the port has operated virtually normally with regard to incoming supplies on ships, so any supplies like that, that were ordered, should be there already. ...which is still irrelevant to the point that they were not going to open when they said they would.

Shipments are coming in, but only essentials are being cleared for delivery at this time. Same as post Irma.

Correct, shipping has continued. If supplies for Diamond were on the way, they are likely in a container waiting to be installed. These items would have been ordered far in advance for a fall opening like was predicted, which would lead me to believe they are on the island and have been for some time.

Lots of furnishings were ordered but I suspect manufacturing was halted or postponed due to the virus. The main construction was to be completed in June/July and then handed over to Diamond for furnishing which comes last. Diamond can't do anything if main construction contractor hasn't completed the task and turns it over and each room is inspected. Gutting and rebuilding an existing building is much more difficult than starting one from ground up and they are doing 5 of them.

And again, what will be a construction halt for maybe two months does not justify a delay of six to nine months...

Again. None of the interior furnishings are made on island. All has to be manufactured somewhere else. Last time counter tops came from Italy. Lots of appliances came from abroad. It's not like finishing a single dwelling. Many units are involved. Don't get me wrong, I too am disappointed in this delay but I also see the difficulties this project has. Who knows this could be done earlier that spring of 2021. All depends when the PM allows construction to resume. My weeks are in May so my fingers and toes are crossed.

I think we will see this all over and it is not good.

Profit/Loss Economics/Plans were looking a certain way in January.

This pandemic has changed everything.

Each and every business on the planet is doing what if drills of the future and their cash reserves and revenue projections.

Airlines parking birds, abandoning marginal routes on their pre-pandemic performances reports have become clean kills with The pandemic.

Bottom line: some friends In all industries are going to go under and we will be watching for Phoenix’s to rise from their ashes.

;(

The bold with finances will lead us out of this darkness and take the risks to pack a bag, board a plane, rent a car, check-in to hotel buy a meal and a drink. The sooner they can safely show us this the better the whole world will be.

Be bold and safe if you can!

Pelican--this really has nothing to do with this topic..