Treasure Island resort will bounce back better than ever in the New Year.

According to General Manager Luke McCoy it is a time of new beginnings for the resort, and in a time when there should have been 3,000 room nights booked, there’s only room for hope that next year can achieve that and better.

“In general the staff is upbeat and morale is high and everyone seems happy to be employed,” said Mr. McCoy of Treasure Island’s 77 employees.

Treasure Island provided free shelter and meals in the aftermath of the hurricane.

The resort housed about 400 residents during and after the storm, and with their skeleton staff set up a makeshift kitchen in one of the shops on the premises.

“We provided two meals a day to people. We probably fed more than the 400 people staying here. We didn’t want to turn anyone away,” said Mr. McCoy.

The hotel provided food and accommodation free to people from the time of the storm right up to 31 October, by which time people were gradually beginning to move out back into their homes again.

True community spirit reigned at Treasure Island during this time.

“Everyone who stayed here was quite happy and pleased and it gave me a little bit of peace of mind to help.

“In turn, anyone who stayed here was willing to help and volunteered in the kitchen or in the clean–up. People really pitched in and pulled together,” he said.

The General Manager, along with other senior managers, stayed on–site to supervise at all times.

Eighty rooms were damaged during the hurricane; the first floor was under four feet of water while some rooms on the top floor had the doors blown through.

However, Mr. McCoy explained that there was no major damage to the 278–room–resort as the structure is solid concrete rather than sheetrock.

It could be March or April until stay–over guests can stay at the resort again and the hotel is still operating under receivership, which means a creditor has appointed a receiver to run the company's business with a view to clearing debts owed.

Some of the delays for the hotel getting back in full working order are the air conditioning chillers on the roof and arrival of new furniture.

Some residents and workers are still residing at the hotel and are paying on a monthly basis. The new restaurant, Monte Cristo’s Chophouse and Lounge is working well for the resort.

Nightly entertainment is also on offer, with local bands featuring strongly.