Nanny Cay $30M–$40M Marina Expansion Launched; Project
Ground was broken on October 31, 2025 for a major expansion of Nanny Cay Resort and Marina that Nanny Cay and government officials say will total between US$30 million and US$40 million and be completed in roughly three years. The project, described by Premier Wheatley as a 'declaration of confidence' in the Virgin Islands, will create 91 new jobs and include a Marine Hub partnership with H. Lavity Stoutt Community College to train local residents.
Ground was broken on a major expansion of Nanny Cay Resort and Marina on Friday, October 31, 2025, moving the long-planned redevelopment from planning into active construction and drawing senior leadership from across the Territory. Attendees included Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon.
Wheatley, Governor Daniel Pruce, Deputy Premier and Minister of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change Hon. Julian Fraser, and Minister for Communications and Works Hon. Rymer, alongside other officials, local dignitaries and industry representatives (Nanny Cay press release via VINO).
Nanny Cay management initially described the investment as more than US$30 million; subsequent reporting and statements at the ceremony put the overall redevelopment between US$30 million and US$40 million and outlined a phased programme to be completed over approximately three years, with government approvals already in place (VINO; BVI News).
Premier Wheatley used the ceremony to frame the expansion as more than a construction project, calling it a 'declaration of confidence' in the Virgin Islands' economy, its people and the Territory’s standing as a premier tourism and maritime destination (VINO). He said the works represent the first of three phases in a broader reimagining of the resort and that the upgrades will strengthen the VI’s capacity to welcome more and larger vessels and to host bigger regattas, attracting more visitors, crews and business opportunities (VINO; BVI News).
Officials said the project will generate 91 new jobs and stimulate economic activity across multiple sectors, including taxi operators, tour guides, food vendors, provisioning companies and marine technicians (BVI News; VINO). To help local residents access those roles, a Marine Hub will be developed in partnership with H.
Lavity Stoutt Community College to provide training in marine repair, sailing, swimming certification and environmental stewardship, ensuring young Virgin Islanders can participate directly in the expansion’s benefits (BVI News; VINO). Nanny Cay Chairman Cameron McColl described the investment as the biggest in the marina’s 25-year history and a move to help the BVI 'leapfrog the growth of other destinations' in the Caribbean.
He reiterated the marina’s commitment to local employment, noting that of the marina’s more than 120 direct employees today only about 20 are work permit holders because of prior investment in local training (BVI News). Project specifics build on earlier management statements: Nanny Cay currently operates two marinas and will add a third with additional berthing, a new lift capable of handling larger multihulls and monohulls, 112 new boat slips, a state-of-the-art boatyard and a 200-ton haul-out facility to accommodate bigger vessels and major regattas such as the BVI Spring Regatta, the 44 Cup and the Round Tortola Race (VINO; BVI News).
Phases Two and Three will introduce non-marine amenities — including a restaurant village, boutique retail shops, a new event space, a luxury pool and a beach islet — expected to broaden opportunities for local entrepreneurs and increase visitor spending across the Territory (BVI News).
Nanny Cay management says residents can expect further announcements on detailed timelines, environmental safeguards and opportunities for local contractors as construction advances. With senior government ministers present at the groundbreaking, officials signalled the expansion’s strategic importance to the Territory’s tourism and marine economy (VINO; BVI News).
Primary source: VINO