Above: Dominica (CJ Photo)

By the Caribbean Journal staff

The government of Dominica and Dubai-based Range Developments have signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of a 75-125 room, high-end luxury hotel project in the north of the island.

Range Developments, which is currently developing the Park Hyatt project in St Kitts, signed the MoU under the country’s Citizenship By Investment Programme.

The hotel would have between 75 and 125 rooms, according to the government.

“This is the first MOU that the government is signing under the Citizen by Investment Programme; the investment arm of our Economic Citizenship Programme which we believe is the way to go towards addressing economic development issues, employment and greater investment in our tourism industry,” Dominica Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said. “So we are very keen on engaging them and moving this process forward.”

Global hotel firm Kempinski has agreed to partner with Range Developments on the project, which would be the European company’s first Caribbean property.

“We are at the high-end luxury market doing business from our European hubs and also cover the American market to the east coast and therefore, believe that we can add value to this venture,” said Kempinski President for the Middle East, Africa and India Ulrich Eckhardt.

Mohammed Asaria, vice chairman of Range Developments, said the company was “pleased” to partner with Dominica on the project.

“We look forward to bringing an ultra-luxury branded five star hotel to the Commonwealth of Dominica and realizing the Commonwealth of Dominica’s ambition to become a luxury destination for tourism in the coming years,” he said.

The specific location of the project was not disclosed.