The development of a racing industry on the island of Saint Lucia came a step closer to reality when an agreement was signed on Friday to construct the Pearl of the Carribean, an iconic resort and lifestyle development that is to include a racecourse.
The resort, valued at $2.6-billion, will cover 700 acres of land on the south side of the island, and will include a marina, racecourse, resort and shopping mall, casino, Free Trade Zone and extensive entertainment and leisure facilities, with construction beginning in 2017.
The racecourse facilities will have space for 1000 racehorses and will have the capacity to host feature racing carnivals, creating new tourism and entertainment options for locals and international visitors.
The master developer of the Pearl of the Carribean is DSH Caribbean Star Limited, which is an affiliate of the Hong Kong-based international management and investment company Desert Star Holdings, which is affiliated with the China Horse Club. Desert Star Holdings and a joint venture partner also signed agreements last month to kick-start a commercial breeding industry in Ordos, Inner Mongolia, and to manage the Ordos Yiqi Racecourse.
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