The Jumeirah Group yesterday said Bermuda could expect something "unique and special" with the relocation of the Jumeirah Southlands resort to Morgan's Point.

Frank Vanderpost, senior vice president of the hotel group's Americas office, said the five-star resort would be the first new Jumeirah development in North America.

"We are excited. Bermuda is a great destination and Morgan's Point has some unique opportunities," said Mr. Vanderpost.

"I think the Planning permission the developers have from the Government will allow us to do something really special there."

He said he could not as yet give a timeline for the project as plans still have to be finalised.

"We are in conversations with the developers at this point in time and so it is difficult to give a timeline as there's a lot of moving parts in the land swap, such as the clean-up, and the other things that haven't been decided upon" he said.

"We need to work on a master plan and design, so there's a little bit of time involved."

Jumeirah is to manage the resort, which will be developed and owned by Southlands Ltd. The Dubai-based hotel group will have a crucial role to play in the design.

"Jumeirah is a hospitality management company. We are a luxury brand and so are looking for a five-star luxury resort," said Mr. Vanderpost. "We would like to create something quite unique and different. That is something we will have to discuss with the developers and owners, to try to create a design which is unique and special for Bermuda."

The Jumeirah Group operates some of the world's most opulent hotels, including the Burj Al Arab in Dubai — the world's only seven-star hotel.

In January of last year, executives signed an understanding to run the planned Jumeirah Southlands resort on the South Shore.

Jumeirah agreed to operate the new hotel for 20 years with an option to extend the contract until the middle of the century.

The first stage of Jumeirah Southlands was expected to be completed by the summer of 2008, with the 311-suite cliffside resort up and running by 2010.

The 497-bed facility was to offer tourist accommodation in 176 suites with 135 suites sold as fractional vacation units.

It was also to feature five restaurants and bars, a nightclub, spa, swimming pools, equestrian facility and conference centre.

With the signing of the land transfer document on Wednesday, the resort will now be built at Morgan's Point — a former US Naval Air Station in Sandys.

The land swap gives developers Southlands Ltd. 80 acres of publicly-owned brownfield site at Morgan's Point, in exchange for 37 acres of open space and beachfront at the Southlands estate in Warwick.

Southlands Ltd. will also lease another 130 acres at Morgan's Point from Government, on which will be built a championship golf course.

The Southlands estate on the South Shore meanwhile, will belong to the people of Bermuda.

Premier Dr. Ewart Brown said on Wednesday that it is now "most likely" that Southlands will be turned into a national park. Craig Christensen, one of the three developers behind Jumeirah Southlands, together with Brian Duperreault and Nelson Hunt, said the resort's relocation will necessitate a re-design.