Hilton, another hotel will sit on 20-acre plot at Ogle

Feb 16, 2020 News

– investors have experience in building Hyatt, Marriott

By Leonard Gildarie

The National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) has announced that two hotels including, Hilton, will sit on a 20-acre plot at Ogle, East Coast Demerara.

US investor, Mike Elliott

According to the state company yesterday, the project will be developed by Caribbean Marketing Enterprise Inc. which was incorporated on 24th April, 2017, and has, as one of its principals, Mike Elliott, a US investor who has experience in construction of Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Choice and Hyatt-branded hotels.
Some details were contained in a sod turning invitation to the media yesterday by NICIL.
It was announced on Wednesday that another major hotel, Hilton, is coming to Guyana.
The announcement was made by NICIL’s CEO, Colvin Heath-London, on Wednesday during what he described as a momentous occasion for Guyana…the sod-turning for a US$75M, 150-room hotel at Ogle, on what once used to be sugar lands.
NICIL and the investors are promising hundreds of jobs and other spin-offs.
There were questions about the principal of Trinuyana Investments Inc., the developer of the AC Marriott-branded hotel here, but NICIL assured that John Aboud, said to be a Syrian, who is based in Trinidad, comes with significant experience in real estate.

The former sugar cane lands (left bottom) where the AC Marriott is slated to be constructed.

In fact, he and his team manage over two million square feet of real estate including malls and hotels in Trinidad.
They are building an AC Marriott Hotel, too, in Trinidad.
With respect to this other project, said to include the world-renowned Hilton-brand, NICIL said that CMEI, registered under the Companies Act of Guyana 1991, (Chapter 89:01), has an office at 199 Thomas Street, Kitty, Georgetown.
NICIL gave some details: “The company is owned by a group of businessmen/investors who possess vast experience and expertise in the fields of financial management, engineering and construction capabilities. Over the years, they have successfully led their own companies and served on numerous boards as consultants in varied fields internationally.”
The group is linked to the investors who have security space at the Wales Estate for a cold storage project.

An artist impression of the AC Marriott that the Trinidadian developer said he and his partners will build.

In fact, CMEI has secured 20 acres at Ogle, on which two hotels will be built. The invitation did not immediately name one of the hotels as the Hilton.
“The project will include the construction of two branded hotels uniquely positioned in a complex driven by solar power, therein consistent with Guyana‘s “green economy” vision. CMEI will construct the hotels in the 120-130 room range with world class amenities inclusive of a miniature golf course, clubhouse, entertainment centre, swimming pool, solar farm and green space allocation.”
It was disclosed that a solar farm will be built on 7.5 acres of the Ogle property with a club house/entertainment centre and mini-golf course to take up another five.
The two hotels will be on the remaining acres.
The plot is said to be not far from where the AC Marriott site is.
On Wednesday, Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, will deliver the keynote address.
Guyana is facing an unusual, though not unexpected problem…it is running out of hotel rooms fast.
In fact, the government-owned Marriott Hotel at Kingston does not have enough rooms. Its 197 rooms are filled to capacity, a number of them on contracts- a far cry from struggling in 2015 when it was first commissioned and there was no oil.
Other local hotels have reported brisk business too, all thanks to the oil production that has started.
Currently, ExxonMobil, which together with its partners have developed the first oil field in Guyana, is building a headquarters right at Ogle.
That area, with a regional airport close by, is becoming hot property now with other development planned for the area.
Opposition members have said that they are paying close attention to any deals struck now as elections are two weeks away and in any case, the lands are sugar lands.
In fact, Opposition Leader, Bharrat Jagdeo, had questioned whether the investors have gotten the greenlight from Marriott International for their name to be used.
Aboud assured Wednesday that he has a letter of intent.
The Ogle area is in high demand because of a planned project to land a highway that will connect the East Bank of Demerara to the East Coast there.