With the door open, opportunity knocks

THIS WELCOME BUILDING greets cruise ship passengers arriving in Nassau. Its broad porch, metal roof and bright colors are typical of Bahamian architecture. /
THIS WELCOME BUILDING greets cruise ship passengers arriving in Nassau. Its broad porch, metal roof and bright colors are typical of Bahamian architecture. /

Fourth and final in a series on a four-day trade mission to the Bahamas.

NASSAU, the Bahamas – “It’s been an interesting trip,” said John Nunes, co-owner of Newport Vineyards, as our nine-person Rhode Island delegation left the hotel in downtown Nassau yesterday and headed for the airport in a chauffeur-driven U.S. Embassy car.

“A fun trip,” responded John Grosvenor, CEO of Newport Collaborative.

No one had meeting to attend on this, the last day of our four-day trade mission. The mission was organized by Maureen Mezei, the international trade director at the R.I. Economic Development Corporation, and Maj. Michael Manning, coordinator of the R.I. National Guard’s year-and-a-half old State Partnership Program.

- Advertisement -

Nunes said the next step in ensuring the export of Newport Vineyards’ wine to The Bahamas will be sending an e-mail with price points to the purchasers and distributors he has met during the mission.

“If I’m going to do something, I have to do it by early next week … keep the momentum going,” he said.

Grosvenor said he will be continuing a dialogue with a contractor who is working on a multi-dwelling, mixed-use development on New Providence Island. He sees a potential partnership with the contractor, whom he met during the trip.

In addition, Grosvenor said, he and others might eventually propose to the city a new waterfront development project and plan that would encompass the main area where people board and debark from cruise ships in Nassau. The objective would be to provide a more welcoming path from the waterfront to the heart of the city, where tourists could peruse the various historical buildings, museums and shops.

Grosvenor said he thinks the city could better showcase the cultural aspects of its downtown, and by doing so, it could spur additional economic development.

To read the full story of this trip, pick up (or read online) the May 28 edition of Providence Business News.

No posts to display