Bloomberry Resorts Corp.’s Solaire North in Quezon City has been delayed because of challenges in the construction industry as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, its chairman Enrique K. Razon Jr. said recently.
But the company is still targeting to complete the new hotel and casino in 2023.
“There was a long delay last year and some delays recently. Construction has indeed slowed down and the environment is tough. We’re managing very closely. We expect to be able to complete the facility in 2023,” Razon said during the company’s second virtual annual stockholders meeting last week.
He said the timing of Solaire North could well coincide with a full economic recovery for the country.
Razon said that once herd immunity is achieved, tourism and travel would soon recover not just in the country but across the globe as well.
“Despite tough construction conditions, we look forward to delivering a high-quality product by 2023, in time for a potential strong economic recovery that usually follows a crisis and the return of international travel and tourism,” Razon said.
Solaire in Paranaque was closed for six months in 2020, and only reopened under very limited
capacity in September.
“And up to the present time, we are still operating at 50 percent capacity. But yet again and very recently we find ourselves in lockdown due to the latest surge in covid cases,” Razon noted.
During the closure, he said the company re-tooled the entire property to be the safest and cleanest property possible.