Cabinet has approved preliminary designs for a golf course at Morgan's Point — by a landscape architect described by Government earlier this year as not enough of "a household name".

A Government spokesman told The Royal Gazette in February it was deeply unhappy with Southlands Ltd's choice of award-winning Canadian Doug Carrick to create a golf course at the former US Naval Annex on the border of Southampton and Sandys.

The spokesman told this newspaper: "Signature courses start with Fazio, Faldo. The design is key. Carrick may be good in Winnipeg or somewhere else but we need a name which is a little more of a household name."

But plans for the $2 billion Morgan's Point luxury resort released on Monday — after Government and Southlands Ltd. signed a long-awaited land swap deal — bear the logo for Carrick Design Inc.

Cabinet secretary Marc Telemaque would not comment this week on who would design the promised PGA-standard golf course at Morgan's Point, referring this newspaper to Southlands Ltd. for comment.

But Ontario-based Mr. Carrick said: "I can confirm that I have been involved in the preliminary design stages of the project, which involved the overall design and layout of the golf course and its integration within the overall resort development.

"These were the plans that were presented to the Bermuda Government in March 2010. I am very hopeful that I will continue to be involved in the detailed design and implementation phases of the project as it moves forward.

"However, the subsequent phases of design work have not been commissioned yet, nor has my client appointed our firm for the next phases of design work."

He said his initial designs were for a PGA-standard championship course.

"The preliminary course design is a par 71, measuring just over 6,700 yards from the championship tees and will be built to the highest standards."

Mr. Carrick revealed that Government's concerns about having a "household name" designer were addressed during the development team's presentation to Cabinet in March.

"My credentials — along with the credentials of the entire design and development team — were communicated to the government officials. To my knowledge, all of our credentials were very well received by the government officials."

Southlands CEO Craig Christensen said last night: "Doug Carrick designed the layout in the master plan that was presented to Government.

"At the present time, no golf architect has been contracted to undertake the final design of the golf course. The Morgan's Point team will select the appropriate branded partner for the golf course."

He added: "Comments made previously were perhaps made by persons unaware of Mr. Carrick's credentials. Carrick [Design] is the recipient of numerous awards and is noted for having designed several magnificent golf courses including Angus Glen, which hosted the PGA Canadian Open."

This week's land swap deal, saw Government give Southlands Ltd. 80 acres at Morgan's Point — plus a lease on another 140 acres — in exchange for the greenfield Southlands estate in Warwick.

The two sides fell out publicly in February when Southlands director Brian Duperreault accused the Premier of not wanting the swap to go ahead.

A Government spokesman — who would not be named — rebutted the claim and set out a number of problems with the plans put forward by Southlands Ltd. Along with the objection to Mr. Carrick, the spokesman said the Southlands directors didn't have a clue how to develop a tourist resort, had failed to get a five-star hotel partner on board and needed at least 1,000 work permits for their scheme, which was too many.

The agreement was legally completed on Monday without a branded hotel partner signed up and with the promise that 2,000 jobs would be created in construction and hospitality.