Caneel Bay
Caneel Bay was a resort set on a 170-acre peninsula in the
History
Danish West Indies
A plantation known as Little Cinnamon Bay was formerly located on the site. It belonged to Peter Durlo. Some of his neighbors sought refuge on his plantation during the 1733 slave insurrection on St. John. The plantation was later passed down to his son Petter Duurloo (1732-1779) and grandson Peter Donlo (1756-1795). The latter was married to Helene van Uytendael, baronesse de Brettonm daughter of oplanter Johannes Balthazar van Uytendaele, baron de Bretton and Helena Molijn. The estate was later passed to their son Johannes Durlo (1783-1840). He sold it and moved to Denmark, settling on the Lille Egede estate.
Rockefeller
After visiting St. John in 1952, Laurence Rockefeller was so impressed by the area's beauty that he arranged to buy up most of the island of
Rockefeller subsequently donated most of the land—approximately 60% of the island of St. John—to the U.S. government for the creation of the
In a letter drafted by Rockefeller in 1988, he states:
"I am concerned that the Park Service may be asked to extend the term of the Retained Use Estate, which would have the effect of enriching the seller and defeating the foundation's intent to add the Caneel property to the park as scheduled," wrote Rockefeller. "Caneel Bay is a very special site of outstanding scenic beauty which we believe should be protected and made available to the public as part of Virgin Islands National Park. We have been working together with the Park Service for over thirty years to achieve this end, but ultimately, your successors will determine whether and when the public will have the opportunity to enjoy the site as we intended."[4]
Caneel Bay, prior to
In December 2020, EHI Acquisitions, LLC, a subsidiary of CBI Acquisitions, and the US Department of the Interior reached an agreement to move forward with negotiations to redevelop the Caneel Bay property.[2]
As of January 2021, petitions were organized to lobby to rebuild Canneel Bay.[6]
Hurricane damage & rebuilding
Caneel Bay sustained extensive damage during 2017's hurricane Irma, and has not been rebuilt however the resort's owner, CBI Acquisitions, is entertaining architectural plans to rebuild in an environmentally-friendly and more sustainable manner to "honor Laurence Rockefeller's legacy".[5] CBI has conditioned any re-building on the guarantee that a new lease on the property be negotiated in order to substantiate the significant investment in rebuilding the resort.[7] CBI has operated the resort at Caneel Bay rent-free since 2004, in an agreement with the National Park Service that is set to expire on September 30, 2023.
The Caneel Purpose Group offered a proposal to rebuild the iconic hotel, donate money to the US National Park Service, and create high-wage jobs for island residents as well as offer a culinary school, additional vocational training and other collaborative-style offerings for the community at large.[1]
Environmental contamination
As far back as 2014, some research suggest chemical contamination from the use of pesticides and building materials at the resort.[8]
In 2020, a Colorado-based attorney with a home on St. John, USVI filed a lawsuit against CBI Acquisitions (the firm running the resort since 2004) and the US Department of Interior (under which the National Park Service operates) -- claiming environmental contamination at Caneel Bay from the use of DDT and asbestos that may have been buried on the property. Other environmental contaminations suspected at Canneel Bay are: arsenic, mercury, and hydrocarbons tied to fuel.[8]
David Giacomo, the suing attorney, suggests that Caneel Bay should be a designated
Gallery
References
- ^ a b "Caneel Purpose Group Outlines Plan for St. John Resort". St. Thomas Source. 2021-06-16. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ a b Resort, Caneel Bay. "US Department of the Interior and EHI Acquisitions, LLC agree to re-enter lease negotiations and continue environmental assessment at Caneel Bay Resort". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ a b Society, St John Historical. "Establishment of the Virgin Islands National Park (VINP) | St. John Historical Society". Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ "Caneel Bay Resort: Unceasing Efforts To Undo Laurance Rockefeller's Wishes". www.nationalparkstraveler.org. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ a b Correspondent, ANDREA MILAM St John. "Caneel looks forward to "bringing Virgin Islanders back to work," but no details shared". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ "Lobby Feds for competitive process on Caneel Bay's new lease, cleanup". The Virgin Islands Daily News. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ "Plaskett's Caneel Bay Resort Bill Sparks Community Questions". St. Croix Source. 2018-04-03. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
- ^ a b c "Filing Seeks To Determine Extent Of Environmental Contamination At Caneel Bay". www.nationalparkstraveler.org. Retrieved 2021-06-25.
Further reading
- Webb, Cami. "15 Reasons to Vacation at Caneel Bay in the USVI". Islands Magazine. Retrieved 2014-05-01.
- Continenza, Dara. "Rediscovering the Old Caribbean, Naturally". Smarter Travel. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
- Aungst, Karen. "50 Years and You've Never Looked Better... Caneel Bay". Atlantis Magazine. Archived from the original on 2008-08-13. Retrieved 2008-02-22.
- Kellerman, Stewart (1989-01-08). "Feeding Bagels To Barracudas In Caneel Bay". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-02-22.