Camana Bay kicks market out of key street
Camana Bay Market
(CNS): The farmers’ market at Camana Bay is being moved next year, as the Dart Group responds to complaints from tenants in shops on the Paseo, the small town’s central street, CNS has learned. While concerns were raised in the local community this week, especially on social media, that the Wednesday market was closing for good after the holiday event today (19 December), officials from the Dart Group, which owns the mixed use development, said that a local harvest market will continue every Wednesday in Heliconia Court in 2019, though it appears artisans will no longer be welcome.
The farmers’ market will be moved to the courtyard, squeezed between the commercial office buildings of One Nexus Way and 18 Forum Lane towards the southern end of the development, but it will be farm produce only.
In a statement responding to CNS inquiries about the end of the regular mixed Wednesday market, a spokesperson for Dart said the original market was established as a way to draw visitors to the newly built town centre and introduce local vendors.
“Now, a decade later, the town has over 40 shops and restaurants and sees over 2,000 visitors daily. As the town has grown, the opportunities for artisans have also grown, as many of the same products offered at the market are available in Camana Bay shops, where residents and visitors alike can stock up,” the spokesperson said.
In a letter to stall holders, Dart said that it had spent the past year reviewing the current Wednesday Camana Bay Farmers and Artisans Market and determining whether it was still feasible. A decision was then made to transition the market from its current format to a farmers-only harvest market at a new location, starting on 9 January, featuring the regular farmers selling farmed goods and produce.
“It is important to Camana Bay that we maintain a thriving town with refreshed offerings for the visitors of Camana Bay,” the letter said. Officials went on to say that Camana Bay had been a strong supporter of local farmers and artisans by providing the complimentary space for the last 10 years and it was “very grateful” for the participation.
The letter indicated that Dart was considering an indoor market for artisans but nothing had been decided.
I find it interesting that this subject matter can attract over 170 comments and in a mere couple of weeks the subject is forgotten, no comments, no actions proposed, no response from Dart, no follow up by media, no “plan b” for the market participants, no response from the Britannia people, nothing. Is this how Cayman does things? Rattle, Roar and Retreat?
I cannot keep silent any longer. As a vendor at the Camana Bay Market I am shocked and dismayed at the way we were treated … and we ALL feel the same way. It’s not so much that they did it but the way in which they did it. We were given a mere 24 hours notice that we were no longer welcome and a vague promise of something happening in the future. Many of us had vamped up production to accommodate the busy tourist season, paid out of our own pockets to advertise the fact that we were there through various print advertising that is now inaccurate and worthless. If they had given us six months or so notice that this was coming we could have wound down or perhaps found another location. Although we were guests at Camana Bay and we appreciate all that they did to help local artisans, we were treated deplorably and we did nothing wrong.
Is there any substance to the suggestion that Dart is trying to intimidate the Britannia property owners and wanting to convert that development into an extension of Camana Bay?
How about this concept. Don’t like what Dart is doing? Then instead of being pathetic ungreatful leeches, why don’t you pay to buy your own land somewhere else instead of sucking from Dart like you have some sort of entitlment to other people’s property?
You clearly have intelligence issues
You sound like an extremly obnoxious person, but you are mostly correct.
What Dart is doing is nothing unlike what malls in the United States would do not to cannibalize it’s businesses. The mall has an obligation to produce an effective environment for shopping. You will never see in a mall where all the shoe stores are all on one side of the mall and all the outlets next to one another.
People are pathetic whiners.
Secondly, Dart OWNS camana bay and can do what ever the hell he wants to! Get over it
When the former Hyatt was left overgrown and derelicted for years during the post-Ivan insurance court action, there were calls to fine the owners $10,000 a week for the eyesore. Now, in the many years since Dart overtook the property, there is deafening silence from this regime. Conflicts Mr Roper?!?
The so called “market” was an eyesore and brought the wrong sort of people to Camana Bay. I bet those that came to the market never spent a cent in the stores there.
You are so wrong. The people coming to the market spent at many other places there. They ate lunch etc. Wvert Wednesday thatnthey came. The cruise ship passengers and the sedgway riders spend NOTHING at all.
So basically the take-away here is that Caymana Bay shops are to be used to sell imported goods and not locally made/grown product. Right?
Or decent stuff rather than tacky tat.
Dart didn’t make this decision, the local CEO and COO made this decision. (They’re both Caymaninan.) I think we can all agree that the living, breathing person named Dart is far too busy to weigh in on the day to day operations of a single, very small, shopping mall.
Lol trolls will try anything nowadays. Kenneth dart and his immediate family are also CAYMANIAN according to the law. Nice try to evoke divide and conquer…
Dartbots being unleashed again against Things Caymanian.
Forgive me if I am wrong but isn’t Camana Bay private property where the owner can do as they please and allow or not anyone they choose to enter the property? By the same token you are allowed to visit or not and also dictate to retailers at other locations who they allow in & what they sell.
Britannia property owners and renters may soon boycott Camana Bay over property rights abuse by the Dart organization. I do feel quite sorry for his tenants there. Something has got to change, quickly.
If they have a case, they should take it to court.
Dartbot we see you.
Strata should have done a better job negotiating.
“Property rights abuse”? Nonsense. The moaners are complaining about contract rights they had with prior owners, big difference.
The way I understand the owners’ position is that they believe they have rights that are legally registered on the lands, so it’s not a ‘prior owners’ deal. Anyway, not the point, the point made is that if those owners feel they have been disadvantaged inappropriately, the repercussion of a boycott could be materially negative for Camana Bay interest.
Yawn. Don’t see the owners going to court do you?
My guess is that the Dart RE Group will delay a final proposal until their other priorities (projects) are completed. During that extended wait, I think the Britannia people will become weary and initiate actions. Looking at the Britannia property from across the canal one sees little change to the property but if one viewed the site from the old golf club side, well let’s say it’s a sorry looking scene. It’s difficult to understand why these wealthy owners are allowing such an infringement on not only their property valuations but also their enjoyment of those units. Strange.
Cannot wait for the Dart revolution to begin.
Looks like it will begin from within Dartland.
Dart is ALL about money.
He is always greedy for more money. Plain and simple. Morals, Ethics, Standards, Equality etc… all go out the window with him. All about the dollars, nothing else.
Once you learn that and accept it then you will begin to understand him.
Just look at what he did to his own family. We, the general public, to him are only a resource to obtain more money. These Islands are only a resource to gain more money.
KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid.
Money, Money, Monneeyy…………
Barkers turtle grass? Really…
Hey moaners, please maintain your boycott. It helps the ambiance of the place for those that do like the place. Reassuringly expensive is always a good policy to dissuade the miserable and cheap.
yawn…love it or leave it…more anti-dart nonsense
i think caymanians should boycott camana bay.
This is what happens when you can’t come together and stick together as one group . The man used everyone and now he doesn’t need them no longer. I forgot to mention greed in the equation .
Not the man the CORPORATION
Fingers crossed…
they will not boycott because there is not an option!
Oh yea!
So Dartbot you really believe you have us by the balls?
Boycott was in full swing Friday night. ?
Happily Dartbot I never went, so do not have to leave, I stayed in the Real Cayman.
Dart keep and choke on your Caymana Bay with the wanna be Caymanian traitors.
A Caymanian for Cayman.
Haters gonna hate. We love going to Caymana Bay occasionally. The trinket sellers have plenty of options.
Ignorant #$%$box. Just the person that Dart wants. Do not tell the truth on this forum about Dart’s dealings in Little Cayman, you will not be published.
I’m with 1.21. Camana Bay is the best thing on island.
Simmer down, cowboy. Like I said, haters ……
Ms. Bell , would you go into a long term contract with the Farmer Market group to move to your establishment ?
People the mistake that the farmers group made with Camana Bay why they are being kicked out today , is because they didn’t have any contact signed .Remember that there’s nothing free unless it’s legally binding.
Reading is easy. Comprehension, more of a challenge
As the owner of Cayman Grand Harbour, I would like to invite and welcome any artisans and farmers who would be interested to move the market to our courtyard at Grand Harbour. We would offer the space, free of charge for an organized weekly market to support our incredible local artists, crafters, farmers and creatives. Grand Harbour was built by Michael Bell for the local community and it was my late husband’s intention to support the people of Cayman by offering the space for families to gather. If anyone is interested, please contact me at caymangrandharbour@gmail.com. Our family is striving to bring Grand Harbour back to its former glory and once again be the hub of local activity. We welcome all, with no hidden agenda, only the desire to honor my husband’s memory and support our community!
Sincerely,
Lorraine Bell, Owner
Cayman Grand Harbour
Former glory? Ha Ha Ha
Show some respect.
Respect is earned
True and Dart the Vulture Fund King has earned disredpecr and to be feared.
Piss off, muppet.
Dartbot!@
That was a really good spirited and welcome gesture that you just dissed, asshole. SMH.
Really? Let’s see how it goes. In only ten years they’ll be equal.
Asinine comment.
Dartbot remember “Who laughs last, laughs best”.
Great to know that place was never intended to be profitable. The model seems to be working well.
There was a leeetle crime problem.
Agreed with this, we need more than just Salty’s and Da Station in and around the Red Bay/Prospect corridor
The Harbour Grill restaurant is one of our favorites now. Thank you Mrs Bell.
Give it two months
You mean like black trumpet and lola in camana bay??
Thank you for your genuine caring and compassion. You honor Mr. Michael in ways that he couldn’t have anticipated.
All best.
Thank you and big up yourself mrs. bell. The real cayman community know you and mr. mike and family from long time. Don’t listen to the negativity.
Lorraine, we appreciate your generosity, Thank you.
Can we ride the wave for free with each purchase over $25?
That is such a generous offer I think it’s a wonderful idea Thank you Mrs Bell. Ignore the negative comments.
This is a good move. I always found the market got in the way and was not consistent with the upper end feel the place was designed to engender.
the harvest market brings business opportunities to local farmers, but most of all it brings to Camana Bay a sense of authentic place and cancels the ghosty atmosphere. if you want to stay in an aseptic luxury place go to the Ritz and stay there!
Aseptic luxury or fourth rate pseudo-Caribbean? I’ll go aseptic luxury please.
100% agree. The moaners on here are the sort that thought a little scrub of road to West Bay had “cultural significance”. The more they “boycott” Camana Bay the better.
Do the Dart folks read this? I like the famers market, and I like it on the Paseo, its the only day of the week that the place have anything resembling activity.
I am ok with not having the arts and crafts at the same time, if they don’t want it.
But, i think a night market would be a good thing. First I would prefer it on Cardinal Ave, but whatever. Maybe once a month, maybe every week.
If at Camana Bay, maybe that would draw a few folks out in the evening. And if it was on the same day as the farmers market, they only have to do the set up once. Clear the farmers out by 5:00, have the arts set up on the same tables by 7:00.
Fake sunglasses, cheap t-shirts, bootleg CD’s, temporary tattoos, non stick fry pan demonstrations… Now that would bring some life to the place at night.
* NB * From observation and historical pattern, we should learn that Dart’s “good faith” is often conditional on an ulterior commercial motive, some clever high-priced lawyer twist/brokered backroom deal, and an expiration date. With high staff turnover, their deals can, and often do change without much notice or forethought.
So true, so very true, from someone who has lived through the entire life cycle.
Tax free buildings that are just invested there to KILL the USA Tax and personally I dont think there are too many merchants operating in there that are making any money but paying a lot of rent
And know Dart ownes most of the stores!
FYI it was not any of the stores owned by DART corporation that ever complained about the Wednesday artisians, it was the privately owned stores ie. Those paying the high rent
Camana Bay is a bubonic chancre on the arsehole of Cayman. There is nothing Caymanian about Camana Bay. It is a social engineering experiment. Period.
I love it. I also love that people like you don’t go there.
Well, you stay there pal.
A lot of people are happy that you are there.
complete and utter drivel…
Experiment? Its a proven concept. People prefer this type of development with employment, stores, residential, entertainment in one small area. Sprawling suburban Neighbourhoods miles from super-centers and large malls mean that people spend too much time in their cars, driving everywhere to buy or do anything. So what’s the experiment?
So the local artisans get the boot because the rich Dart stores might feel threatened or maybe the local market doesn’t fit Dart’s Miami Beach view of what Caymana Bay should be. What can I say… It’s Dart, this is his standard operating procedure. Exploit the locals to grow his business and then get rid of them. He did it in the other countries he can no longer go back to and he’s repeating his same self profiting plan here and we let him get away with it. You reap what you sow.
The entitlement mentality is strong in this one.
C’mon!? I’ve seen entitlement in Cayman and this is NOT it.
Dart is a jerk.
Cayman is largely going along with a blind eye turned to to his infestation.
This is just the nick on the zit.
You just wait.
When that zit opens up Caymanians will be astounded at all of the rot that comes out due to DART.
It will be way too late. Frankly, it already is.
I hope his Kaaboo festival fails miserably.
Kaboois just a noisy drug fest attracting low life to the Island.
Ka-Who?
Indeed. It should be aggressively policed.
A bit like West Bay then.
But Cayman was sold out by Caymanian land owners, business owners and politicians who all sold their belongings for some of Dart’s billions. So we only have our own people to blame.
May be DART is a jerk as you say but when DART gives you thousands of dollars to shut up you are all accepting it and kissing his ass.
9:29am
Get lost!
You are sick to the core….. people with your attitude help to create a riff between locals and new persons to this Island.
Mr. Dart is a local
Seriously ridiculous! So, let’s allow a market place to showcase the local talent mixed with the local farm goods to entice people to come to Camana Bay and now that we have shops that sell the same items kick them out. First of all, those overly prices stores DO NOT sell the same items. Second of all, tourist along with the residents of these islands enjoy the market place not only for the farmers fresh goods but for the unique local art, jewelry, wood signs etc, and lastly, I believe Dart Management forgets that Camana Bay only thrives if the residents of these islands and “some” tourist support it. The folks that live there are just passing through expats or wealthy paper Caymanians that do not give two craps about the island, selfish people. Hope they remember the next time those business are crying that no one is supporting them they do not run specials or ask the public to come support cause I surely won’t! Very disappointed with Dart Management and some of you are Caymanian, drinking that Dart koolaide and forgetting your roots, shame.
That’s Right!
We only give one crap about Cayman, two craps is way too much to ask…
Perhaps a nominal fee to help offset some of the costs involved might have been a better approach?
What!? A nominal fee for whom? Are you kidding? Did you read the article? DART asked them to come to Camana Bay to draw people to his development. DART should be paying them.
Now there are, supposedly, 2000 people visiting Camana Bay each day (whatever), and he no longer has a NEED for them.
Check yourself.
Let me guess, you took an Economics class at John Grey?
Gray.
you obviously never took an English class anywhere.. John Gray, not Grey
Lol, people thumb down the truth these days. Perhaps they think it will suddenly stop being truth?
Ignorance never solved any of their problems though…just wait. #Foruiners
“many of the same products offered at the market are available in Camana Bay shops, where residents and visitors alike can stock up,”
Which shops in Camana Bay sell the local arts and crafts? How much are being sold with inflated prices?
This is something I look for in Cayman: LOCAL art, Local Designer Swimwear that doesn’t cost 85 CI $ per Piece, LOCAL people, Affordable living to the NON-RICH Population and many other things. The Cayman Islands have more registered businesses than people and what does that tell us?
Or a $40 jar of pepper jelly….
Or an $185 pair of beaded flip-flop?
If you don’t like it, don’t buy it…better still make your own….end of.
I didn’t buy it, someone gave me a pair a few birthdays ago. I told the person, thanks but next time give me the money instead. Not worth the price. So there, you go get a popping headache. You silly goat, Dart doesn’t give a hoot about all of you defending him. Obviously all of you are suffering from low esteem and think coseying up to the Dart conglomerate makes you one of them.
Never seen pepper jelly that price either at the market stalls ir the supermarkets??
Right.
I’d suggest the artisans who supposedly sell their wares to shops in Camana Bay say no more. Find other shops, elsewhere, to have their wares sold at.
Lots of nice stores in GT where the ships come in. Maybe at the hotels? Restaurants? Dive shops? Bars. I don’t know. But take your stuff out the CB shops.
I hope the farmers boycott camana bay altogether. I would much rather go to the market by the cricket field on Wednesday’s. I hate camana bay and everything it stands for. The only reason I ever went there was to support local farmers.
Don’t like and what he does for the island, don’t go there and quit your job if you are working for him.
remember when or where you are working you are also working for your self!
Good. The so-called market always felt low end compared to the rest of the development.
And yet the market made it extremely convenient for the Camana Bay restaurants to buy produce so you can have a ‘high end’ power lunch.
That’s on DART.
WOW!!!!!
I am shocked, gobsmacked, and flabbergasted.
– Whodatis
Fire up George Town again! Don’t have to be CB my people I can’t even stand down there anymore ?. Here’s the plan – close off Harbour Dr (not Goring Ave) every Wednesday or Thursday from 10am til 5pm so local vendors can show off our own Caymanian thing to the cruise ship passengers and locals alike
Nooooo! Great idea but do it outside the courthouse or in the Tower car park and don’t block roads, keep them clear so traffic keeps moving .Every time they shut off roads in GT, especially 6-9 am and 3.30-7.30 pm, someone’s 1hr commute East becomes 2 or more. They need to stop blocking roads there, not do it more.
You can still close the road in town and allow Hospital and Smith roads to be 2 lanes going into GT in the morning and 2 lanes out of town in the evening straight thru south sound. Extend 2 lanes through Savannah. All you need is traffic lights across the road in several places to guide drivers.
So 12:22 you want to block off 1 of the major roads of the islands so that no one, tourists, tour buses and residents alike can get around and go about their business – real intelligent!
Boycott Camana Bay like me – don’t go there
Me too. Used to say I would only go for the cinema (love the movies) but lately all of the films are crap and the ones I’d watch are not allowed. Something about licensing and the distributors of the films… They got in a spat now all we get is second rate BS, big cinematic crap for the masses and the kiddies.
what nonsense, there are loads of great films at the cinema, and the place is nice, much better than what we had before
As part of the masses, I like the cinema, so take your BS elsewhere
Old Cayman saying..”the chickens have come home to roost”…DART showing his true colors now..and all of you were thinking he was being so nice..He doesn’t do anything for free for anyone..There is always something expected in return…He used you to get what he wanted and now it’s time for you to go…sign of the (DART) times…
Old Cayman saying my backfoot.
Thrown to the wind like a piece of used styrofoam. I honestly don’t know what people expect from this guy.
Dart and his senior management got Status, and now show their arrogant indifference to their hosts.
They got their status in McKeevas give away, which was before Camana Bay was built!
What rubbish
Most of the stores are DART STORES so the DART STORES are complaining to who?
DART!!
What a convoluted DART story.
Everything DART has always been about…DART.!!.
Oh so you thought he was doing it for Caymanians?
Fooled you.
Name them.
Actually every single shop there is a ‘co-owner’ with dart. Just ask about the contract they had to sign when they joined. A percentage of sales is what they pay and that means he is a shareholder ie. owner
LOL ?
What garbage, some tenants are on a % profit share rent, like many businesses in the world are, but that doesn’t mean Dart’s a shareholder or an owner. – Don’t try and sound like you know what you’re talking about, especially as I do!
Not true
9:50am: Probably much easier to name those stores/restaurants that are NOT dart-controlled or dart-spawn-controlled.
Whatever happened to Ortanique and Michael’s Genuine ?
Go for it
Wow..what a way to say, thank you..Sorry tim to kick you to the curb, you have done your job in getting people to my development…don’t need you anymore…
The stores that are complaining better be careful because just like he did with Cafe Del Sol, he will do with them as well.. Local businesses will continue to be traded for foreign entities.
10.23 add Barkers to your list when his friend develops his hotel same as Kimpton beach where his guards will run you off.
First it was cafe del sol, then Calico Jacks and now the farmers and artisans. Sounds like the man just use people and companies to grow his own businesses and then throws them out when he has no use for them. It is time for our government to pass the necessary laws to protect business owners from this type of behavior. How can we compete or be successful business owners?
There’s not much you can do as long as he has the CIG in his pocket.
It was a matter of time. Soon it will be too late. I wonder how the press feel about….never mind.
So we can get food all over the island but unusual paintings and hand made jewellery and crafts get the boot. Great. The artisans are the best feature of the market. People like to buy souvenirs from them and shouldn’t be forced to buy from the ridiculously expensive shops at CBay, that don’t sell anything remotely like the items on the artisan market. They will just go somewhere else. The complainants and this decision are fuelled by greed.
Someone paying high rent to be in CB should get priority over someone who isn’t.
Are the henna lady, the thatch rope merchants, or the Caymanite trinket merchants really competing with Silhouette, the Jean Bar, or Sand Angels? Come on.
Doesn’t matter.
Since when was Camana Bay a town? A town my backside! It’s a little strip overly expensive shops and restaurants that price out many Caymanians. It’s a village at a push. Dart is dangerous. He is just going to expand and expand and expand until the little island won’t have its own identity anymore. It will be overrun by rich people with more money than sense who just want to own it for themselves. Caymanians will eventually cease to exist as a nation. Dart XXXXX and all those who spend money in his hotels, shops smd restaurants are fools. The CIG are fools too for letting the Dart empire have more or less a free reign on making Cayman their own. Deary me, what will be become of lovely Cayman in the hands of this family.
I believe it was mc bush that let him in to destroy us.
Then Alden became controlled by Dart AND Mac.
CI Govt does wharever Dart wants done.
I have stopped going there. If you don’t like the place, suggest you do the same , it’s that simple.
Imagine a town in Cayman with it’s own self titled mayor. I guess soon the next step will be Caymana Bay becoming it’s own political entity and having a member or two in the MLA. TBO I’m surprised Dart doesn’t have his own elected MLA’s other than the puppets he has a hand up in.
You know very well that DART Does have his own MLA’s , puppets indeed but same thing.
He has his own MLAs who were voted in by their constituents.
Isn’t C’Bay the capitol of the Cayman Islands?
I’m confused as I know it is the centre of the Universe.
Give them a nice spot in Barkers
Or town where the cruise ships are if those people spend so much money.
Like the Craft Market?
Yup
This is really really selfish and disheartening. After 10 years only one days notice to these artisians with no consideration that they would have invested money in advertising and products for projected sales there for 2019. We will just use them to get people here and then chuck them out.
The 2000 people a day is BS. Even on a good MARKET DAY we do not see those numbers.
I bet we do!
How many of those ‘visitors’ work or live there?
anyone figuring out how the DM (Dart Machine, not Danger Mouse) works now – ‘keep your your eye on the eight-ball’ Ken
Why do the farmers get to stay? Fosters is there? You can buy lots of local produce from them? How is that any different…. ohhhhhhh…. wait… Fosters……
I hope the farmers show a stand of solidarity with the artisans and not show up for this market. The daily farmers market on Huldah COULD be a real attraction on Grand Cayman.
Start shutting out Dart.
Clearly, he should be paying the farmers and artisans to be in Camana Bay. They are bringing HIM business.
As much as I agree, if the artisans and other shop keepers involved in the market didn’t show up it wouldn’t a lick of difference to Dart. He wants them gone so if they don’t show up it’s no worry to him, he wanted them gone anyway.
I agree with you. That guy has no heart and no conscience. Neither do his cronies.
Any other place would stand in solidarity but that will happen in Cayman when pigs fly. That is besides the CPR save the port group. They are showing how to stand on principle.
If that’s not a sign of things to come for the Cayman Islands with Dart, I don’t know what is!!!
Use people to get something (people into his development) and once he’s got it, the people are out. Enjoy Starbucks…. Also, remember every good “entrepreneur” uses the first time is free model.
How do they know there are 2000 people visiting everyday? Is that the number of employees in the offices? How did they come up with 2000 people daily?
I wonder if he has facial recognition cameras?
You’re far too paranoid
every organization in the world has the rights and do make changes to their business
even at the cost of thousands of jobs some times, not just Dart!
Sure they do. Not arguing the fact. But DART is a jerk. He is stealing Grand Cayman under the guise of Robin Hood.
Remember Argentina anyone!
Still crying for them.
It didn’t touch his hand