Airport & Timeshare discussion

I know this is a sore subject, but today I’m sitting by the pool at BSV and there are 15 men on the roof working as hard as they can with 2 small cranes, and many more on the interior. Yesterday they had almost 30 guys up there. I’m literally looking at them now installing roof panels and edging. Just saying. Now don’t beat me up, I’m just reporting what I’m seeing!

The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. John F. Kennedy

There is currently 23 up there now with panels going down!

Love the airport, but this is a view!

Lots of roof work was being done last week when we were there.

Yea I know, really! They are on track with there opening date. Don’t know what all the hubbub is on this one. Go figure.

Sorry, WHICH opening date?? They will NOT be open in October of this year. No way. GREAT to see they are working on the roof though!

What track do you mean April 2020 ????
They are not even going to start on the inside until sometime in Mid October

Here is the article again !!!!!

https://smn-news.com/st-maarten-st-...ld-take-18-months-before-completion.html

Yes while I agree with everyone here, this will never go to court and progress will still be made on the airport in a timely manner (or island time).
I think the focus of the conversation should be, when the airport is fully back open, and the large airlines have move flight coming in, where to you house all the tourist? From what we’ve seen, these large hotels are not even close to opening there doors yet. Then take into account the large number of staff it takes to keep them going. All week long we have heard story after story the amount of locals that have left the island due to the lack of work in there industry, just saying I think housing should be the larger part of the conversation.
My two cents.

Sorry, WHEN the airport is fully open will not be for a LONG time yet, as was posted in the above quote from the airport manager, not until 2020. In which case by then, virtually all the hotels should be back open without any problem. Right now, a lot of people WANT to come, and can find housing, but are unwilling to spend an overnight EACH way AND spend over $1000 PP for air for the privilege. Housing is an issue yet for sure but by far the BIGGEST issue is airlift. People from the NE or from south Florida can find reasonable airlift, but most everyone else is kinda scr*wed for the time being.

I do agree Carol, but when you drive around and see these large hotels with five guys working and out of them three are standing around, where there needs to be at least 75 or more working it’s discouraging to see. And when you drive over to the French side it’s even worse. Yesterday only saw five people working on orient beach, three working on a new restaurant and two digging a very large hole with a backhoe. I’m just saying, when one drives around the island and sees the enormity of work that must be done, the man power is lacking.

Yeah, I have no idea why it doesn't seem that they are working harder, especially at places like Flamingo and Royal Palm. I think in some cases, the resorts have ulterior motives for why they WANT to be closed longer. Just sayin'...

Hit the nail on the head! I totally agree! Seems strange.

Both the royal Palm and flamingo are busy at work. We stayed right by the Flamingo and every day plus weekends they were gutting every room down to the skeleton walls. Flooring tiles were all jackhammered out and roofing being replaced on all buildings. Next will be new wiring, plumbing and complete redesiging of rooms. Going to be something special when completed. Landscaping has been kept up. Pool and grounds looked great.

Again, regardless, no WAY that should take until 2020, unless they are deliberately taking too long. Just sayin'...

Thanks Carol for saying that so delicately! Your a winner! Here is the CLUE, it’s referred too as TIME SHARE. Now I said it, and I’m strong, everyone can beat me up on this one! And Carol if it’s to strong you can delete my remarks. But there is something going on over here that is not being seen or just being ignored! Just my two cents! Sooooo I’m ready!

Every room, and there are a lot of them, has to be completely redone from the bare walls. All new floor plan and counters that have to be custom made to fit. Can't be done on island and has to be shipped in. Stilled workers are in short supple in st maarten. I can see its going to take that much time to do right. Sure resorts can piece together to get open but diamond wants to do this right so it will withstand another big one should it happen.

Sorry, bull, I realize that you have to support Flamingo, but no way that takes 2.5 years. No..

What ever you want to think but if you can see what has to be done and what they want the end result to be you might reconsider your opinion. Lots of work to be done without a workforce to do it. I'm impressed with they have done so far and what they have planned for the future. Other reports didn't sustained as much damage in the general area. Ones that did were able to recover more quickly but didn't improve their phisical buildings like diamond plans on doing. You can just speculate on repair and replacement times for flamingo but unless your there and can see what has to be done you have no perspective of the work that has to be done to get it to the level above what it was before.

Any chance they both want to stay closed for 2+ years to get rid of some employees?

"lots of work to be done without a workforce to do it"... WHY??? Now, I actually don't know what they are supposed to be doing at Royal Palm, but I assume you know what you're talking about what they are doing at Flamingo. They are not repairing, they are re-doing the whole complex, and they certainly have the MONEY to do it, but they don't have the workforce to do it. Huhm, surely they would have known that going in, IF there really is a big shortage of workers AND they can't get them from overseas, which I really think they could get workers from overseas if they tried. So, they knew this would take twice as long as it would some other time, because they supposedly can't get workers. Regardless, this is their CHOICE, to put their timeshare owners out of their places for in some cases, three whole years and still expect them to pay their t/s fees. ….which a lot of people will walk, which is apparently what they want.. And, as JD said, get rid of all their workers. And at Royal Palm, probably get rid of the people running the restaurant.. And at RP, get rid of the whole owners. Business decisions, for what is right for Diamond, certainly NOT for the island or their timeshare owners.

They already did that but have them the option to apply again when they get ready to open.

Its a win win for the resorts, they still expect the fees, No hurry for them. My husband said that very thing last week... Why would they be in a hurry. and if people walk? It also benefits them... Do you really think they care about there timeshare people? or What this does to Island. If they wanted to get the job done, they would..

I totally agree. When you travel here, that is the sort of behavior you see! So slow!

Thank you all for the informative discussion. I'm new here, but we've had a timeshare at the Towers for over 25 yrs and once again am heartsick that this destruction has happened to our beloved island. However, we feel as if we're not getting honest answers about the state of affairs either on our timeshare or the island as a whole. Does anyone have current info (ie June 2018) on Towers - perhaps I can be directed to an up to date thread? We have been sent assessment not only for 2018 (our week is May so that's gone) AND 2019! No offer of banking week or 2 weeks next year instead of 1, and of course, no one knows what can happen this hurricane season (heaven forbid). We've discussed just returning the week before hurricane irma, as the Towers & Mullet Bay wasn't what it used to be after the previous hurricane, and just giving it up may be our best bet. We can't keep paying maintenance fees on a unit we can't use and ridiculous airfare - rather book a condo or hotel room & visit when all is at least mostly up & running. I think it's just terrible how these timeshares operate & would never consider buying one again - we were young & foolish.

"Its a win win for the resorts, they still expect the fees,"
Wrong. Flamingo waved all maintenance fees for fixed week owners for 2018. I expect the same for 2019.

Hi, fellow Towers owner here (as is Pat, whom I'm sure will weigh in)

Your MF bill just received was actually for 2017 & 2018. They lost all records prior to that...hence, you must prove to them that you paid 2017 and you will only owe 2018. And then you need to speak with them to either bank the week for the future, or see if Maggie can deposit into RCI for you, as they won't be open (ostensibly!) until November 1st this year.

"and still expect them to pay their t/s fees."
Only points owners had to pay MF's since they bought into that program to be able to use them at other diamond resorts. Fixed week owners like myself had them waved. I would just as well have them take their time and do it right rather have it done half *ssed.

Thought this was about the Airport???

It was but it migrated to a timeshare discussion. I am going to change the title to reflect such.

Thank you so much Beach Kitten

Great that you did. Now I don't feel to guilty about the highjacking.

A friend got a call from Diamond yesterday and was told that there will be no MF at the Flamingo for 2019

Probably just for the fixed week owners as it is a right to use and if not available to use they really can't charge MF. Not the case for Diamond points owners. Hope your friend is correct as I feel it's rather early in the year for them to make that determination and announcement.