WORK continues apace on the expansion of Sandals La Source Grenada, with 1,200 workers now aiming for an opening deadline of December 12, 2013.

Most of the workers on the construction site located at Point Salines are Grenadian, providing a much-needed fillip to an economy ravaged by unemployment and a lack of foreign investment.

The chairman of Sandals Resorts International (SRI) Gordon “Butch” Stewart notes that the La Source upgrade and expansion project is progressing smoothly and barring unforeseen circumstances, the hotel should be opened on December 12th, 2013.

He further added: “The quality of workers in Grenada has been nothing but superb. All the companies engaged in technical work are predominantly staffed by Grenadian professionals.”

Sandals acquired La Source Grenada last November for an unspecified sum and immediately set about upgrading and expanding the resort to the tune of US$100 million, adding another 130 rooms.

The 231-room resort will sit on 17 acres along the pristine Pink Gin Beach on Grenada’s southern tip. Sandals La Source will house three distinct villages; namely the Pink Gin Village, the Italian Village and the South Seas Village.

The Pink Gin Village will have the first zero-entry infinity pool. The five-storey Italian Village sits upon a scenic cliff and boasts split-level suites with Japanese-style soaking tubs complete with private infinity-edge plunge pools situated on the balcony. The South Seas Village is found along the mountainside of the resort and will feature Sandals’ signature Rondoval suites with 61-inch round indoor tubs as well as outdoor private pools.

Pink Gin has a very modern Caribbean feel with new levels of luxury. The Italian Village is a work of art with sky pool suites from the third storey, being the first of its kind. “The South Seas Village also continues to get response from travellers online,” said the Chairman of SRI.

The general manager of Sandals La Source Grenada will be Peter Fraser, the former general manager of Sandals Royal Plantation in Jamaica. SRI has selected its Grenadian management team who are currently undergoing further training in other Caribbean countries where Sandals enjoys a presence.

The chairman and founder of the largest indigenous resort chain in the Caribbean announced plans to build a call centre in Grenada that will accommodate bookings worldwide for Sandals, Beaches and Grande Pineapple resorts. This new call centre follows similar ones in Jamaica and St Lucia and will feature state-of-the-art technologies, linking Grenada to booking hubs located in two other Caribbean islands.

“Our operations across the region have played a tremendous role in bringing professionals in the Caribbean in touch with each other. Some of the best tourism professionals in the world are from the Caribbean and they continue to add tremendous value to our product and we are committed to creating opportunities for their careers to advance,” said Gordon “Butch” Stewart.