The lawyer acting for troubled eco-resort Daniel's Head yesterday said rumours that the village had already closed down and was up for sale were not true - and a number of options were still being considered.

Wendell Hollis admitted some uncertainty surrounded the future of the multi-million dollar resort, which only opened to the public 18 months ago, but said no decisions had yet been taken.

The Royal Gazette has reported this week how staff had been informed that the opening of the resort for the summer season had been put back by a month until late April or early May.

A number of the employees, many of which were foreign workers who had returned to Bermuda to begin working at the village, have been told there is no jobs for them at the moment.

Only a skeleton staff is currently employed on the site.

Mr. Hollis said no bookings were being taken for Daniel's Head at this time and those guests who had already been booked in were being placed in other holiday accommodation on the Island.

He said: "The owners (Excel Legacy Corporation) in California are drawing up their options. I can't say that those options don't include closing and don't include a possible sale, but each of those is just one of several options they will look at.

"There is only a skeleton staff kept right now. A lot of what will happen depends on what the ultimate decision is."

He said he did not know when a decision would be taken because the key players in the investment company, which is based in San Diego, were spending much of their time at the moment involved in a lawsuit.

Mr. Hollis added: "Once this case is finished, they will be in a better position to review the situation. It's a matter of frustration for everybody. It's difficult for them in California, and it's difficult for people here to basically do anything other than keep it in a holding position.

"Under the circumstances, we are definitely trying to do the best we can, given the circumstances, for staff and for people who did have bookings."

Staff were told that a meeting would be held on Monday this week to inform them of what was happening, but it was cancelled with employees being told that they would be spoken to individually.

Yesterday, The Royal Gazette contacted Excel Legacy Corporation several times, but failed to speak to anyone about the future of Daniel's Head.