MONTEGO BAY, St James – NEARLY 150 persons trained in the hospitality industry are expected to gain employment when the newly refurbished 150-room Vista Ambassador, a four-star hotel and spa valued at approximately US$23 million, reopens its doors in a couple months for business, after a eight-year hiatus.

According to Constantine ‘Charlie’ Hines, operator of the hotel since 1982, the renovation of the property, located along the busy Gloucester Avenue, cost US$3 million and is now in its final phase.

Upon the completion of the refurbishing exercise the hotel will boast, among other amenities, five swimming pools, basketball courts, a 6,000 square foot spa, three restaurants, tennis court and a gaming lounge.

However, Hines explains that the resort will be operating under a new concept, as units are now being offered for sale to individuals and all the facilities will be available to individual operators.

“Fundamentally what we are trying to achieve is a unique situation where we are offering to sell units,” Hines tells the Business Observer. “We are the first people who, once you buy you have access to the facilities: our rooms are fully furnished and everything is brand new.”

Additionally Hines, who boasts over 3 decades in the hospitality industry, notes that upon acquisition of the Vista Ambassador units, operators will be given their individual water and lights meters, thus giving them the comfort of ensuring that there is no threat to the continuation of their utilities because of non-payment.

This, he says, is in stark contrast to what exists at similar operated facilities, where the bills were spread equally among unit owners.

“The shortcomings of others are, people do not make any returns on their money because they have these big expenses. And this is important. We have totally revolutionalised the concept in that every unit has its own light and water meter,” says Hines. “And as simple as it sounds, what it really means when you buy your unit [is that] the only thing you pay is your phone bill. Other places, they do what they call shared cost, so you find that whether your unit is rented or closed, the cost is spread.

“A purchaser with us will only pay expenses in relation to his individual unit and it makes the difference between an investment and profit,” he adds.

The Vista Ambassador boss disclosed that the resort company will also operate units for prospective buyers.