Royal Oasis Timeshare Owners Are Still Waiting

More timeshare owners at the Royal Oasis resort are coming forward and inquiring about the pending class action suit; some say talk of new owners is promising news.

Back in January, The Freeport News learned that several owners were talking with lawyers about a lawsuit against the Crowne Plaza Golf Resort and Casino at the Royal Oasis which shut down in September 2004.

The owners cited the reason for the closure was for repairs.

However, 18 months and millions of unpaid dollars later, there has been no word from the owners to the 1,300-plus displaced employees.

The timeshare owners say the only correspondence they received, months after incessant attempts to get answers, was that their "points" had been frozen.

Before now, the owners had made every possible attempt to find some answers from the owners, the timeshare representatives, this daily and even Bahamas government officials, including Prime Minister Christie.

But to no avail.

Frustrated, at their wits' end and fearful that their money was lost, several of the owners turned to one another, formed a coalition and began contemplating a class action suit.

A flurry of e-mails were trafficked back and forth and soon afterwards talks were initiated with lawyers.

One timeshare owner said they did not want the situation to get to a law suit, but their backs were against the wall and, having owned the timeshare just months before the resort had closed, they had no other recourse.

A number of owners who contacted this daily had still been making the regular payments, despite the resort's closure, out of fear they would lose their money or their points if the resort was to reopen.

One Virginia woman said she paid $12,000 cash for her timeshare and has never received a bill for maintenance fees.

Some owners took out loans to purchase their timeshare.

A week ago, The Freeport News confirmed that new players were at the bargaining table bidding for the resort property and had met with government as late as Sunday.

It was the second such talks government has had with an investor in a year.

The property was close to being sold to Harcourt Developments, a property construction and management company based in Dublin, but the deal fell through.

Toursim Minister Obie Wilchcombe disclosed that the new group of players has international reputation but he declined to disclose their name before the deal is done.

He added, however, that it was hoped that negotiations can resolve quickly.

One of the more recent timeshare owners to come forward, though weary, was still optimistic with word of new talks.

"We seem to be in the middle of a struggle between Driftwood and the government as each tells us to call the other," he said.

"We hear rumours of a sale and that once that happens, our agreements could be fulfilled with that new owner. That the resort will be rebuilt bigger and better than before. This all sounds good, but we cannot trust any of that information as treatment to date has been unbelievably terrible."

The owner, who has signed a 42-year agreement with the timeshare unit, says he and other owners can't understand why they are being ignored.

"I can't understand why the Bahamas government completely ignores that fact and that I am one of many owners who have the same agreements which translates into tourism dollars for the Bahamas. I can't understand why they ignore or disregard this fact," he said.

He pointed out that the owners have been extremely patient considering they have yet to receive any formal information regarding the status of the timeshare resort or its future direction.

"But, our patience is running thin in the face of more reports of Driftwoods' continuing downward spiral and the lack of a sale or any information how that sale would affect our agreements," he said.