TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin Cupecoy facts and rumors

Fact: The pace of construction at the site of the new twin towers (each of which will be over 20 stories tall) opposite the old Starz Casino has accelerated. There are now two large cranes on the site, along with dozens of hard-hatted construction workers, and rebar columns for the first floor have already been erected. This fact is (of course) a disappointment to Mullet Beach fans who were hoping that construction difficulties or financing problems would delay this wretched project.

Fact: A new plywood construction screen has been erected around the old Starz Casino site.

Rumor: The old Starz Casino site is being redeveloped as a mixed-use retail and restaurant project, without a casino.

Fact: Monday night outdoor movie showings at Porto Cupecoy have been suspended, as construction workers erect a new open-air bar on the section of the plaza where the chairs used to be set up for movie night.

Rumor: Once the bar is finished, open-air movie nights will resume. Movie viewers will sit at the bar to watch the movies.

Fact: Bill Oliver's old offices (the administrative offices for the Porto Cupecoy development, opposite the guard house at the entrance gate) have been gutted and expanded. Construction workers are using pneumatic hammers to demolish concrete partitions and expand the space.

Rumor: The rooms where the demolition is now happening will be converted into a new casino.

Pretty sure it was knocked down to 14 stories and not 20. The rest - sounds right I’m back next week and will get info about Starz. Can’t imagine no casino. But it’s SXM!!

Don't think so Kim, they are selling 20 levels. You can see on their web site. It's called 14 because that's the address

I can't find a web site for the development -- just a Facebook page. Here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/the14thatMulletBayOfficialPage/

[Later edit: Here is the web page link:
http://mulletbayresidences.com/?fbclid=IwAR33grzM3KU919EtqbGGg_yr1_t0A2UOOiaIIHulIQWkhNuVkQvBSimxR_o
Thanks, Elaine.]

An article from early March 2019 still lists the towers as being built to 21 floors and that there will no longer be an association with Belmont Hotel and all units are being listed as condominiums.

Article on Cupecoy Towers

Ugh. I know at one point the scoop was changed to 14 - still too high! Bummed it’s really 20. Between the Cliff and this Cupecoy Beach will be in the shade!!!! 🤦🏻‍♀️

Height of building permitted on Dutch Side is the one thing I don't like about the Dutch Side.

Go to About on the FB page and the web site is listed.

RonDon - Certain people with familiar last names can do anything they want.

Kim - being built to same standards as The Cliff. How well did that go?

Ron,
It's not just building height -- it's an entire attitude. The Dutch side attitude: There is no such thing as unwelcome development -- and there are no needs for traffic studies or environmental impact statements before a project gets the green light. If a developer wants to build, the answer is always yes.

On the French side, where residents sometimes complain that everything moves more slowly -- for better or worse -- there are attempts to consider the environmental impacts of proposed development projects.

Elaine - we have an owner that also owns at the cliff. Last I heard only 3 units were occupied. And I was told even though they push it didn’t move off it’s foundation. It really did!!! Of course more rumors. But not much being done there from the looks of it 2 weeks ago. We shall see!

If it was off foundation or twisted as the rumors have had it, the elevators would not work. And they do.

We also have several owners who own there too. One closed a week before Irma! Lots of workers come out of Cliff at lunch and end of day, so they're working on it.

Oh man - week before! . At least I was two months before!!!! Good to know it didn’t love. I was even told there was talk of implosion!!! Again - all hearsay!! Never dull!!!

Absolutely loved your format - fact vs rumor. Brilliant idea that everyone could learn from. Thanks for the info.

Pretty dull if you ignore the rumors!