National

Exuma Project May Halt If Environmental Concerns Persist

EXUMA, BAHAMAS – Bob Coughlin initially signed a heads of agreement with government for the Turtlegrass Resort and Island Club in March of 2023, with a vision for a 50 million dollar ecotourism development.

Published

1 year ago

February 1, 2025

Marlena Leonard

Since then, that vision has expanded to, potentially, a $75 million dollar project.

With an all-Bahamian construction crew, the project is the second largest employer in central Exuma, spending nearly a million dollars a month with 80% of that staying in the Bahamian economy.

While touring the development on big sampson cay, we saw the progress underway for phase 1, called Croc’s Cove.

But, coughlin says without resolution of the concerns with the neighboring Yntegra Rosewood development, their plans beyond that phase have been put on indefinite hold.

Former Bahamas National Trust president, Eric Carey, is now president of one consultants.

Serving as an environmental consultant for the resort, he says the potential of dredging in the northern channel would be hugely detrimental.

We reached out to the Yntegra group asking if there were any alternative locations or potential for a roll-on roll-off dock being explored, and what communication had been like with Coughlin.

While they didn’t address those questions they released a statement saying in part that.

Their project is “fully aligned with the government’s established guidelines and procedures” and that they “Trust the department of environmental planning and protection (DEPP) and the relevant government agencies to carry out their work diligently and objectively.”