Southlands campaigners are invited to picnic and party tomorrow in celebration of the relocation of Jumeirah Southlands to Morgan's Point.

The Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce (BEST) says the event is "a celebration of the recent announcement of the Southlands land swap and Government's stated intention of turning Southlands into a public park".

Tomorrow's BEST celebration takes place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Celebration Lawn by the Sensory Garden in the Botanical Gardens.

BEST chairman Stuart Hayward — who described the land swap as "an incredible result" — will give members an update at 5 p.m.

Government and developers Southlands Ltd. announced the relocation of the five-star hotel project last month, with the transfer of ownership of the 37-acre Southlands estate to Government, in exchange for 80 acres of public land at Morgan's Point.

The brownfield former US Naval Air Station will now be transformed into a 900-room luxury resort, with two 'boutique' hotels, private residence club, spa and 'marina shopping village'.

Developers Southlands Ltd. have also agreed a lease on another 130 acres of the Sandys peninsula to construct a PGA-standard 18-hole golf course.

Announcing the land swap, Premier Dr. Ewart Brown said it was "most likely" that Southlands would now be turned into a national park.

Environmentalists, conservationists, Warwick residents and members of the public rallied in force to protest the 311-suite cliffside resort on one of the Island's last remaining areas of open space.

Up to 3,400 people signed BEST's petition to 'Save South Shore'. Campaigners also held roadside protests, concerts and candlelit vigils, while one demonstration even transformed the area into "an environmental crime scene".

Despite hundreds of letters of objection, Government granted a Special Development Order for the project last July, saying the hotel was needed to cater for the Island's booming tourist numbers.

Jumeirah Southlands was touted as the first 'luxury' resort to be constructed on the Island for 35 years.

However, Environment Ministry civil servants questioned the safety of beachfront suites in the event of a hurricane, and said the resort would "impinge on several protected zones", such as woodland reserve and coastline.

The Department of Conservation Services also objected to the plans, going so far as to call the project "irresponsible".