The sky’s the limit for one island business as bids were opened for the rooftop terrace of the new Bermuda Tourism Authority building on Hamilton’s Front Street.

The BTA has advertised for “bold and authentic” proposals from businesses for the prime site at the building on No 1 car park on the waterfront.

A spokesman for the BTA said: “In almost every opportunity we present to the public, we target entrepreneurs because we think Bermuda’s tourism resurgence presents a good opportunity for entrepreneurs and small businesses looking to start up or grow. This request for proposals is no different.”

The spokesman added: “That being said, all applicants are welcome, even if they don’t fit the definition of an entrepreneur.”

He was speaking after the RFP was published on the BTA website yesterday.

The business will operate from the top of the soon-to-be-opened Visitor Services Centre overlooking Hamilton Harbour.

Bermuda Visitor Services Centre Ltd, the operator of the facility and subsidiary of the BTA, said it planned to have visitor information on the ground floor of the centre and a space for events on the second floor.

The concession will take up the open-air third floor.

The centre was created from about 30 shipping containers and was used as the Artemis Team base at Cross Island in the West End for the 35th America’s Cup.

The BTA said that “Bermuda-inspired entertainment, art or food and beverage concessions are named as suitable ideas for the space”.

It added: “Decision-makers are open to additional ideas as well.”

The BTA said that the Front Street operation was part of the quango’s strategic approach to boosting visitor spend “by more seamlessly connecting them with the experience offerings of tourism entrepreneurs around the island”.

It added that applicants for the concession must show their proposal was “customer driven in its approach and meets the standard of innovation as described in the National Tourism Plan”.

Expressions of interest must be submitted by Wednesday and full proposals have a deadline of February 13.

The spokesman said the timeline was short, but that the BTA thought it was manageable.

He explained: “We had so many inquiries before the RFP was published. Our sense is that the keenest entrepreneurs have already been preparing their ideas.”

The pop-up will operate from April to December. It must be open for at least six days a week and be open from 10am to 5pm at a minimum, weather permitting.

An online presence to market the business must also be created and sales and consumer statistics have to be reported to the BTA every month.

• To view the Bermuda Tourism Authority’s request for proposal, click on the PDF link under “Related Media”