Paul D. Thompson, former managing director of Lyford Cay Club, has been tagged to head up "all resort operations" for yet another multi-purpose resort in Eleuthera. The latest in what has been described in some quarters as an $11 billion investment bonanza, the promoters of the Park Hyatt's "first Caribbean resort" plan to create an "exclusive resort community".

According to the press release, the Global Hyatt Corporation's Park Hyatt brand is teaming up with EIC Resorts, "a collaboration of Pennsylvania-based developers Eddie Lauth, Bob Poole and Mike Lanigan", to capitalise on The Bahamas' "new residential and long-time tourism wave with French Leave Resort, featuring the Park Hyatt hotel, and Savannah Hill, an upscale residential community".

The development will "stretch a combined 356 acres". The release states that EIC's "strategic acquisition" of contiguous land adjacent to the resort on Eleuthera will be used for development of additional "resort residences, a marina village and restaurants".

EIC Resorts have retained the services of the iconoclastic Arquitectonica whose founder Bernardo Fort-Brescia along with Cesar Molina an architect from New Mexico will "the designs of the property". A brief foray on Arquitectonica's website suggest that the resort plans on being ahead of the usual run of "multi-purpose resort/communities".

The site of the new resort known as French Leave, has a storied history having first being owned in 1938 by Count Alfred de Marigny of Mauritius. He was eventually forced to sell after his acquittal in the infamous Harry Oakes murder. The buyer was the late Sir Roland "Pop" Symonette, the first Premier of The Bahamas and father of Montague MP Brent Symonette, and businessmen Bobby (deceased) and Craig.

According to the French Leave Resort website In the 1950's, French Leave was sold to an aspiring actor by the name of Craig Kelley and the first French Leave Hotel was built but it was burned to the ground in 1972 and the site remained barren until Club Med opened its Eleuthera hotel in 1976 until 1999 when it finally closed it doors. The 270-acre site is famous for its pink sand beaches

According to the release French Leave has "pre-construction single-family oceanfront home sites and villas"; the Park Hyatt will be lending its brand to "condominium hotel residences" which will include the obligatory "pool area, two restaurants and full-service spa".

At Savannah Hill, which has been "privately owned since 1950" will be established "up to 10 estate lots, cottages and invitation-only memberships". Savannah Hill's exclusivity will be continued according to the release which states that "Savannah Hill has rarely been seen even by the locals".

Savannah Hill will have its own marina on the "Atlantic side of the island" while at Cupid's Cay in Governor's Harbour, "a marina will service luxury yachts and sport fishing boats".