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The Davis administration today signed a landmark heads of agreement with Sandals Resorts International for the $100 million redevelopment of Sandals Emerald Bay into the new Beaches Exuma Resort.
The signing ceremony, held at the Office of the Prime Minister, formalized plans for the two-year transformation of the existing property into a family-focused resort.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2026.
Sandals Executive Chairman Adam Stewart described the moment as deeply personal. “For me this is a coming home and something we wanted to do for a long time,” he said.
Stewart noted that Phase One of the redevelopment will see the Beaches property mirror the current size of Sandals Emerald Bay.
“This is going to be spectacular,” he added. “We will put a water park in it, pickle ball, archery, field sports.”
The project is expected to generate 450 construction jobs and more than 950 permanent positions once the resort opens. Independent assessments provided to the government estimate the broader economic impact will support more than 1,500 jobs annually, including indirect employment.
Prime Minister Philip Davis, praising the scale and community-oriented focus of the investment, said the agreement represents a significant step forward for Exuma’s economic and social development.
“We are marking the redevelopment of the former Sandals Emerald Bay into Beaches Exuma — a one-hundred-million-dollar investment and a full transformation of the resort into a family-focused destination over the next 24 months,” Davis said.
But, he emphasized, the most meaningful impact will be on Bahamian families.
“The dollars are not the heart of the story. The heart of the story is the people: the contractors who will get work, the small businesses that will feel the uplift, the young Exumians who will finally have a real pathway into the industry.”
Davis noted the long-term benefits extend well beyond direct employment.
“Once the resort is fully open, it will support more than 1,500 jobs each year and attract tens of thousands of visitors. That means more money circulating in Exuma’s economy, more opportunities for families, and more strength across the Family Islands.”
A central feature of the agreement is a commitment to youth training and development.
“There is something that gives me deep pride: the commitment to training our young people,” Davis said. “Sandals has agreed to a partnership with L.N. Coakley High School for a paid traineeship programme, twenty-five apprenticeships upon reopening, and an exchange initiative that will see Bahamians training in other Sandals properties across the Caribbean.”
The prime minister added that such initiatives reflect his administration’s broader vision for inclusive growth.
“This is exactly what we have been pushing for as a government — real opportunities that put Bahamians in a position to rise.”
The Beaches Exuma Resort is expected to become one of the island’s largest employers and a major anchor for family-oriented tourism in the southern Bahamas.
