(CMR) Cayman Brac, Grand Cayman: A local eyesore, Cayman Brac’s Divi Tiara Beach Resort, is being demolished this afternoon after being abandoned for over 13 years.
There's no indication if the demolition is being carried out by the Cayman Islands government. Scott's Development is carrying out the demolition work. However, the American owners received an abatement order in 2014 but mostly ignored that and the matter was sent to the Department of Public Prosecution for possible criminal prosecution.
When the 71-room Divi Tiara resort closed, its owners cited economic problems and initially told staff that they were closing for just one month. However, at the end of that month staff were informed that they were not re-opening. The facility included 12 timeshares; six of which continued to be operate until Hurricane Paloma in 2008. At that time all operations ceased. One Bracker noted:
“The owners claimed there wasn't enough direct airlift into the Brac to sustain the hotel. However it was widely known that they were drowning in debt and hadn't been paying their electricity bill even; which had accrued to a significant amount. The hotel was mostly Caymanian staffed and they were all left without a job; it negatively impacted a lot of families here on the Brac.”
The Brac has a number of high profile abandoned spaces with no apparent planning or demolition enforcement. Another notable structure is the Alexander Hotel which has been abandoned for a number of years now. A few months ago CMR was informed that the Brac MLA representatives were considering purchase the facility to offer UCCI students a housing option there.
The resort was featured in a YouTube video in 2013 entitled The Abandoned Resort in Cayman Brac: Divi Tiara Beach Resort
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