Despite a whole morning of power failures, senators hit the ground running early Monday afternoon, passing through full session three major coastal zone permits — one of which will allow for construction to start on the long-awaited Robin Bay Realty resort and casino on St. Croix.
Speaking in support of the permit, which needed to be ratified by the Legislature, Senate Planning and Environmental Protection Committee chairman Sen. Shawn-Michael Malone said the project "marks the renaissance of the St. Croix economy," one that has been stalled by a number of other endeavors that just didn’t pan out.
Robin Bay plans to build the four-phase project on St. Croix’s south shore. Phase one — which project manager David Kagan has said will begin during the first half of 2011 — will include a 422-room hotel in two buildings, a 38,000-square-foot casino, an 18-hole golf course, and 52 time share units.
Senators also passed through a permit allowing Westin Resort and Villas on St. John to dredge near its dock and install moorings for five more watersports toys, along with another permit for Christian Kjaer for the continued use of a dock in Estate Nazareth.
Senators also approved:
-the nominations of John P. Woods, James Benton and Roberto C. Cintron to the V.I. Board of Land Use Appeals;
-the nominations of Adrienne Williams and Lloyd Daley to the V.I. Lottery Commission; and
-a resolution honoring and commending Eduardo "Nandy" Martinez-Rosario Sr. posthumously for his contributions to the "preservation of the Virgin Islands’ way of life," and naming the Christiansted boardwalk after him.
Senators also overrode the governor’s veto on two bills: a rezoning changing the designation on two parcels of land in Estates Bovoni and Frenchman’s Reef; and a bill setting up a memorandum of understanding between the Public Finance Authority and University of the Virgin Islands and the St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center to use the King’s Alley Hotel on St. Croix as a training center for hotel and operations management.
While it was not said when the bill passed through committee what the land in estates Bovoni and Frenchman’s Bay were going to be used for, Malone said later that he understands at least a portion could be dedicated to the development of a water park.
All senators were present during Monday’s session.
