Above: a rendering of the project

By the Caribbean Journal staff

An environmentally-friendly hotel project to be operated by the Four Seasons at Barbados’ Clearwater Bay has received a $55 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank.

The IDB said the project, which is located on the island’s western coast, would help create jobs, engage small and medium-sized companies as suppliers and adopt international best practices in both water conservation and energy efficiency.

It could create as many as 725 direct jobs in Barbados during construction and operation.

The Clearwater Bay project, which is part of a larger development that will also include private residences, will work with local farmers to create a supply of produce for its guests, along with using harvested rainwater.

The IDB loan will provide long-term financing for the project, which was stalled during the global economic downturn.

Another of the company’s Caribbean properties, the Four Seasons Resort in Nevis, has been economic boon to that island, as its single-largest employer. (For more on that hotel, and some of its green initiatives, click here).