Community leaders in St George’s have expressed high hopes for the coming year with the prospect of ground being broken on the old Club Med site and the completion of a new marina.

MP Kenneth Bascome told The Royal Gazette he was confident that the Desarrollos project would bear fruit, while Mayor Garth Rothwell said he was hopeful the marina would be open for business by the end of the year.

“I really believe that the group that has been selected for the hotel project is going to see it through,” said Mr Bascome.

“To see ground broken there; that is what I am really excited about for this year, not just for St George but for Bermuda as a whole.

“This will not be another Bazarian — that left us in limbo for six years.”

Desarrollos Hotelco Group plan to develop a five-star St Regis, Starwood hotels resort, on the old Club Med site in St George.

Phase one of the development will cost $120 million and will include 122 rooms and eight residences. Phase two is expected to deliver four large estate villas and 22 golf villas.

Mr Bascome said: “I would like to see St George’s become self-sufficient when it comes to economics so we don’t have to go back to Government with our hands open.

“I still believe we can attract a designated cruise ship and to do this will require modifications to the Town Cut channel.”

Meanwhile, Mr Rothwell told The Royal Gazette that a new marina in St George’s Harbour was a realistic expectation in 2015.

“This will have significant impact on the town as a whole but also Penno’s Wharf,” he said.

“In the long run, with the America’s Cup in 2017, there is the potential for a lot of good things to happen in St George’s.

“I would still like to get some clarification of the impact on the America’s Cup with respect to the ideas of bringing mega-yachts in and a cruise ship that would act as a floating hotel.

“Both have been mentioned in passing.”