Prime Minister Gaston Browne has shared some exciting news about the Royalton and Chic Hotel.

The hotel, located on the former Halcyon property, is set to create nearly 800 new job opportunities, which will give a much-needed boost to the hospitality industry in the region.

In an interview on Pointe FM, the Prime Minister highlighted the exceptional potential this initiative could bring to the area.

This news is definitely something to look forward to because, according to Browne, residents interested in the hotel business can begin sending out their applications immediately.

“They should check in with the Royalton Resort now to put in their application and position themselves to get employment because that property alone will employ about 800 people”, he said

Browne said apart from the immediate jobs, the spinoff is also an addition

“There will be indirect opportunities for various vendors and entertainers as a result of this investment”, Browne said

He said the progress made in the hotel industry was not without challenges. The government had to put in significant efforts to ensure all developments.

“We had to sue the owners of Halcyon to compulsorily acquire the property in order to get it back into economic circulation. It was so bad that there were cockroaches in the hotel. Guests were complaining that the property was run down. We had to do a similar thing with Royal Antiguan, but before we went to court it was sold…point is we always had to fight to get these properties moving,” he said

Browne said there were also some challenges for development in Barbuda.

“When we look at PLH in Barbuda, we have had to take on the Barbuda Council. So far, they have invested over USD $700M. It is one of the largest private sector projects within the Caribbean,” Browne said

Barbuda has several other projects planned, such as Rosewood Hotels & Resorts.

The resort owners recently announced their desire to expand to Barbuda, a Caribbean island.

Rosewood Barbuda, which is scheduled to open in 2028, will embody Rosewood’s “A Sense of Place philosophy” by showcasing the unspoiled beauty and vibrant culture of the island.

The property, being developed by Murbee Resorts, will offer 50 suites and 35 Rosewood Residences. It will be one of Rosewood’s Caribbean properties, which also include Rosewood Baha Mar, Rosewood Little Dix Bay, and Rosewood Le Guanahani St. Barth.

Rosewood Barbuda will be located on an 85-acre property with over 2,950 feet of beachfront.

The resort will feature Asaya Spa, Rosewood’s integrative wellness concept, which offers a range of treatments and experiential offerings that focus on the brand’s five pillars of wellness: emotional balance, fitness and nutrition, physical therapies, skin health, and community.

The spa will have six treatment rooms, an expansive fitness center, and two pools, one of which will be dedicated to families.

The resort will have three dining outlets, including a farm-to-table restaurant that will showcase the island’s flavors by using local Australian billionaire James Packer and Hollywood legend Robert De Niro, who are reportedly planning to build a multi-million-dollar hotel on the 62-square-mile island of Barbuda.

De Niro already owns the Nobu Inn on the sister island.