Rosewood Hotels to demolish and redevelop the Marriott Castle Harbour resort.

The multi-million dollar concessions were voted through unanimously after United Bermuda Party MPs walked out in protest at the short notice they had received.

Tourism Minister David Allen said the concession package to developers Rosewood Hotels to build town houses and a new luxury 108 suite hotel would give Bermudians a chance to "own a piece of the pie''.

And he warned Bermudians they will need to be prepared to grab the opportunities of getting world class training from Rosewood.

Rosewood is offering training in Bermuda and abroad for a year before the new hotel opens. Mr. Allen said it would be an "unmitigated tragedy'' if Rosewood could not get enough applicants.

"Anywhere where Rosewood operates they are the benchmark, not only for what they give their guests, but for the training they give. Anyone who works for Rosewood could work anywhere,'' he said.

"The tax concessions are for training for Bermudians so they can rise to the top echelons.'' The concession package gives drinks concessions to Rosewood in return for them investing the savings in Bermudian entertainment, not imported "Vegas-style'' glitzy shows.

Mr. Allen said Bermudian entertainers would need to be ready to take up the opportunities.

"This is big news for Bermuda and big news for Bermudian entertainement,'' he said.

The luxury rebuilt hotel complete with spa, health club and golf course is scheduled to open in June 2003 and the total cost will be in the region of $200 million.

Under the package, Rosewood will get: relief from customs duties for building materials until one year before opening; land tax exemption until the hotel opens; 50 percent exemption from occupancy tax for the first five years Exemption from employer's share of payroll tax from planning permission until three years after opening; 70 percent relief on alcohol duty for the first five years.

The group will be required to use the payroll exemption to train Bermudians.

Mr. Allen said the town houses would form an "interval club'' - not a timeshare - of the type popular in other parts of the world.

The development would use parts of the old Castle Harbour building. Mr. Allen said the development would be no more than four storeys high and parts would be cottage style.

He revealed that he had received three applications for concessions to redevelop existing properties and an expression of interest about building a new hotel.

Earlier, UBP MPs objected to Mr. Allen asking for the House rules to be suspended to push through the concessions package.

Shadow Legislative Affairs Minister John Barritt said there must be four days between the first and second reading of a bill and the practice had been two weeks.

Under another rule, a bill cannot be read until at least 48 hours after it is printed yet MPs were just receiving the bill.

Mr. Barritt said the Opposition received a copy of the bill the Wednesday before Cup Match and another revised version of the bill this Wednesday afternoon.

He told Speaker Stanley Lowe: "We have not had a proper opportunity to consider this bill. We are scheduled to meet next week and there is no reason why this bill has got to rammed through.

"What the Government is asking us to do is to present the public with a fait accompli that's not had the benefit of study and considered thought.

"It is patently wrong to proceed this way and I appeal to you not to allow this to proceed this way.''