A clock that will count down the final 100 days until the beginning of the 35th America’s Cup was unveiled on Front Street this afternoon with Michael Dunkley saying it was Bermuda’s time to “shine on the world stage”.

The Premier was joined by Minister for Economic Development Grant Gibbons, Opposition MP Wayne Furbert as well as a number of ACBDA and ACEA representatives for the unveiling at the flagpole.

Addressing a small gathering of members of the press and public, Mr Dunkley said: “As I walked off Burnaby Hill and saw the clock which signifies the countdown of the last 100 days, my excitement really started to grow to the next level. As Premier of Bermuda and on behalf of all the people of Bermuda I have been tremendously excited to see the preparation that has taken place.

“We see the preparation in Dockyard and now the fruit of that labour is starting to be seen by the naked eye with the Event Village taking shape, most of the teams here on the island and practice taking place every day out there when the weather permits.

“People of Bermuda from one end of the island to the other are truly getting excited and have bought into this event. The best is yet to come. When we revealed that we were hosting the America’s Cup we made it very clear that we wanted Bermuda to shine for our innovation, for our ingenuity but most importantly for the hospitality that Bermudians bring to life every single day.

“We have 100 days left until these gentlemen put their boats overboard and we start competitive racing. We have some finishing touches to do and I am confident that we will get them done. We will shine on the world stage and these sailors will shine on the world stage.”

He went on to thank everyone involved in making the event happen before Mike Winfield, CEO for ACBDA, took to the stage to highlight the work that has gone into the sporting event so far.

“For the last two years, hundreds of people have spent tens of thousands of hours, many of them volunteers, to develop plans.” he said.

Dr Gibbons, who was instrumental in securing the world class event for Bermuda, thanked key personnel involved including Peter Durhager, the chairman for the ACBDA and members of his ACBDA board; Mike Winfield CEO and his ACBDA operational team as well as the hundreds of ACBDA special committee members; Jasmine Smith as the Government America’s Cup liaison officer and the various ministries and agencies who worked closely with her; the team at Wedco and Alan Burland at BCM; the Ministry of Public Works; Sam Hollis COO at ACEA; and the competing sailors.

Dr Gibbons added: “Now that we are only 100 days away from the final stages of the America’s Cup 2017 I would like to join the Premier in saying what an extraordinary privilege it has been to have been involved in the preparations. We are certainly delighted at the prospect of welcoming thousands of visitors and participants on to our shores and seeing Bermuda on the world stage.”