Bermuda is set to see its first major new hotel development in more than 25 years, it was announced yesterday.

The Bermuda Land Development Company said the planned eco-tourism development at Daniel's Head will proceed after receiving final planning approval from Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson.

BLDC chief executive officer Carl Musson said: "The approval, in effect, gives the green light for the first major new hotel development in Bermuda in more than a quarter of a century.

"This is an exciting and very positive development for the Country, for Bermuda tourism and for the economy of the West End where the resort will be operating. "It also marks an important success for the BLDC in that the resort will increase visitor spending and generate foreign investment, jobs and business opportunities. These things are in keeping with the BLDC's strategic goals.'' Plans for the former Canadian Naval Base will see 120 eco-tents erected on the site by Destination Villages Daniel's Head Bermuda Ltd., the locally incorporated company headed by eco-tourism guru Stanley Selengut and Lew Geyser.

The $8 million project is being financed principally by Excel Legacy Corporation of Delaware and is set to generate some $86 million in new spending over the next decade while creating between 45 and 55 new jobs.

It is scheduled to be up and running by the summer of 2000 with marketing and promotional work kicking off that previous spring. A party of two will hopefully be able to stay at the resort for around $125 a night, said Mr.

Selengut.

The lease between the BLDC and Destination Villages is for a period of 65 years with an option to renew for 35 years.

The low-impact, non-permanent eco-tents have been adapted by Mr. Selengut's local architects Cooper & Gardner to conform to the Bermuda-style cottage with pitched white roof, gables, butteries and a variety of pastel colours.

Twelve of the 16-foot-square tents, which consist of a wood frame covered by waterproof reinforced fabric, will be situated over the water. Thirty-five tents were set to be put over the water originally but this number was scaled down to avoid damaging the marine environment which consists of large fields of turtle grass.

The Bermuda National Trust had objected to the plans for the West End location out of concerns for the marine environment but these issues were resolved.

Mr. Selengut is no stranger to eco-tourism development having built his first resort at Maho Bay in St. John in the US Virgin Islands in 1974. That resort has since expanded to become four individual resorts on that Island.

With that expansion has come a mailing list of around 30,000 customers who regularly visit the resorts and they will all be kept abreast of the latest news regarding the Bermuda site.

Eco-tourism is considered one of the fastest growing segments in world tourism and offers guests a nature-based experience and extensive interaction with the local community.

Because of this, public access to the site is a major feature of the resort plan.

Resort approved The resort must have extensive interaction with the local community if it is to work for the eco-tourist, said Mr. Selengut.

The target market is better-educated middle income families with an environmental consciousness and Mr. Selengut said he believed the market for the resort was infinite.

"Rather than take away from Bermuda's traditional market, the Daniel's head eco-tourism resort will expand Bermuda's visitor market,'' noted BLDC spokesman Don Grearson.

A key feature of the resort will be its attention to sustainable design. Much of the facility will be built from renewable and recycled materials and it will be a pedestrian site with raised walkways in a bid to protect the land.

The property will also be reforested with endemic trees and plants and new forms of energy use -- such as solar power -- comprehensive recycling and composting practices will be put in place.

And some of the existing buildings on the site lend themselves to be craft workshops where the practices of recycling aluminium and glass can be carried out.

Mr. Musson said Mr. Selengut intended to "see that Daniel's Head advances the study and practice of sustainable living for the benefit of guests, academics and local residents''.

"Progress in this field of study may hold some lessons for Bermuda itself as it faces the continuing challenge of maintaining the delicate balance between people and the environment.'' Home sweet home: Bermuda Land Development Company chief executive officer Carl Musson and local architect John Gardner show off a sketch of what one of the proposed eco-tents at Daniel's Head will look like.

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