Stake Bank – A Step Closer to Becoming a Reality
Stake Bank Cruise Port is one step closer to becoming a reality, following a groundbreaking ceremony this morning for the construction of a premier docking facility for cruise ships in Belize City. The twenty-five acre island on which the facility will be built will feature tendering, shopping, cultural attractions and beaches. It also promises to be a major source of employment for local Belizeans. Today we journeyed to the small island outside of Belize City where developer Michael Feinstein, his family and friends, as well as high-ranking government officials gathered to break ground for the start of the project.
Michael Feinstein, Developer, Stake Bank
“The Atlantic Bank is the lead organizer for the money for this project which is sixty-seven million U.S. dollars on the island and a total of about eighty-two million dollars before the project is done.”
Michael Feinstein
Reporter
“It‘s been a battle getting this into fruition, speak also about today‘s event and what it means to you, your family and developers having to reach this point.”
Michael Feinstein
“Well, you know, it has been a very long time but as I told one of the ministers the other day, I had a tiger by the tail and I refused to let it go. It turned around and bit me, right. But I rest my case, this was always not about fighting mother nature. This is natural.”
Isani Cayetano
“Talk to us about how the vision to move from FSTV to Stake Bank came about?”
Michael Feinstein
“Well FSTV, we built to actually last about three years, but then we sold it to a joint venture with Royal Caribbean at the time to do this project. That didn’t work obviously, but I kept my head on this. I didn’t let this go. So finally, it’s here.”
Reporter
“Speak to us about the practicality. How will you now merge to…because I think there are tour operators and so forth who do tourism in Belize City; there is still a distance here. So what is the plan to incorporate tour operators in Belize City?”
Michael Feinstein
“Well let me tell you first, when we did the FSTV, it was called BTV, Belize Tourism Village. It was ninety-five percent Belizeans who owned and operated everything inside that village. Since we sold it, it became ninety-five percent foreign. This again will be ninety-five percent Belizean.”
