More than 150 Bermudians, spouses of Bermudians and permanent resident’s certificate holders have been involved in redevelopment work at the Fairmont Southampton, a Westend Properties Ltd spokesman said yesterday.

The company, which owns the resort, added that the number of Bermudian contractors and subcontractors totalled upwards of 12.

The figures came after the Ministry of Economy and Labour told The Royal Gazette that 179 new work permits have been issued for the project over the past two years.

The Westend Properties Ltd spokesman said that the company “has made significant efforts to ensure as many Bermudians as possible are hired to work on the renovation of the Fairmont Southampton property”.

He added: “To date, more than 150 Bermudians, spouses of Bermudians, and PRCs have been involved with the renovation project, and more than a dozen Bermudian contractors and subcontractors.

“All available jobs are advertised locally, and the project contractors work closely with the Department of Workforce Development to find suitably qualified Bermudians for positions.

“Where there are no or not enough Bermudians for certain roles, work permits have been applied for and issued.

“Work-permit holders are from various countries, the majority being from the Americas and the Caribbean.”

The spokesman noted: “During a recent job fair organised on August 21 through a partnership between Westend’s Bermuda-based human resources consultant, the Department of Workforce Development and contractors working on the project, 53 people attended and 49 Bermudians submitted applications for employment opportunities on the project.

“The contractors are evaluating these applications with a view to hiring any qualified applicants.

“An update on the progress of the renovation project will be provided at a later date.”

A spokesman for the economy and labour ministry earlier told the Gazette that 184 workers were on site at the Fairmont Southampton project, where a combination of Bermudians, spouses of Bermudians, PRC holders and work permit holders were employed.

He added: “This is one of Bermuda’s largest construction projects, and the Government has supported recruitment initiatives through the Department of Workforce Development, including job fairs.”

The ministry spokesman said that two people were hired immediately after the job fair last week.

He added: “Since the start of the project, the Department of Immigration has issued 179 new work permits.”

The permits were said to have covered a range of categories including ductwork, project management and supervision, plumbing and IT/technology.

Permits were also issued for individuals skilled in furniture, fixtures and equipment installation, hospitality specialists for tile/flooring works, for high-rise hotel masonry and demolition.

The ministry spokesman said: “The Government continues to encourage Bermudians interested in construction work to connect with the DWD, which, while not an employment agency, provides guidance and links to prospective employers.”

At the job fair last week, contractors sought Bermudian construction workers, asbestos specialists, electricians and elevator technicians to help in redevelopment the hotel.

This week, Sacha Bearden, owner of Baptiste Ltd, said that the past 18 months have brought consistent growth to her construction business.

She noted that the large-scale renovation of the Fairmont Southampton had been a major driver behind the rise in business.

Ms Bearden said: “They have hundreds of workers up there. We’re not supplying the project directly but when they come in and clean you out of gloves or dust masks or anything, their need is so great for stuff that they just clean out the shop.”

Alessandro Colantonio, the chief investment officer at Gencom — the Miami investment firm of which hotel owner Westend Properties is an affiliate — said this month that work at the Fairmont Southampton was progressing.

The hotel was closed in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and the absence of its 593 rooms has been felt across the tourism and service-provider sectors, and beyond.

Crews formally broke ground on the renovation in November 2024, with government and private-sector support that included a $75  million sovereign guarantee for the project.

Chris Maybury, a representative of the developer, told the Gazette then that he looked forward to the employment of 200 Bermudians during the construction phase of the project.

At the time, he said that a total of 500 jobs were expected to be filled during the peak of construction and that as many Bermudians as possible would be hired.

Mr Maybury added then: “We are not limited by jobs, we are limited by qualified Bermudians.”

Preliminary work including demolition and site preparation at the resort was said to have started as early as January 2024.

Westend Properties noted last September that costs for the entire Fairmont Southampton project were estimated at more than $550 million.