from Showboats.com magazine, Nov 7 2007

Grenada, known for its production of spices such as nutmeg and mace, its lush landscape, its friendly people and its exotic waterfront, first captivated British-born Peter de Savary when he was a young boy visiting the island with his mother in the 1950s. Decades later, the charismatic entrepreneur is working to recapture the spirit of the island that charmed him by restoring its formerly pristine lagoon and marina. The new Port Louis Marina, touted as the Saint-Tropez of the Caribbean, is now selling dockominiums.

“The best guardian of any environment is a eveloper, if he’s a good one, because he’s selling the environment,” says de Savary about his massive lagoon cleanup campaign. His development plan calls for low-density, sustainable tourism and is meant to enhance the island’s existing natural beauty.

The eco-marina will have berthing for 40 yachts up to 150 feet in its initial stage. It will expand in the next three to four years to include close to 300 slips and a megayacht marina for eight to 10 yachts up to 300 feet. The project extends to a pedestrian-only village with real estate opportunities, luxury hotels, a yacht club, restaurants and shops.

De Savary will work with a number of partners to complete the $555 million project, which also includes the high-end Mount Cinnamon resort. The new resort opened in June and is built on the site of the former Cinnamon Hill Resort and Beach Club that was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. “There is no way you can make something new that is as good as something that’s old,” says de Savary about his decision to refurbish the existing resort.

Located just off Grand Anse Beach in the capital St. George’s, Mount Cinnamon offers 21 individually designed, turnkey and fully furnished luxury villas and apartments for sale. The beachfront village community gives guests direct beach access and positions them close to the marina and the airport. Savvy’s, the resort’s colorful open-air restaurant and bar, serves five-star Mediterranean cuisine in a casual setting. Guests at the resort will have access to Mount Edgecombe plantation and the colonial-style retreat and eco-spa at Tufton Hall, opening in 2008. Azzurra Castle, a Moorish-style villa on the island’s southern tip, will accommodate up to 12 guests for exclusive use. —JENNIFER SODERBORG