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Seriously, I cannot believe that I am still writing about the debacle that is the Caneel Bay Resort. For those of you who are new to the happenings of St. John, Caneel Bay was a stunning resort located here on St. John. It opened on the same day that the Virgin Islands National Park opened in 1956. The resort was destroyed in September 2017 when Hurricane Irma barreled through the islands, and it has been closed ever since. Why? Due to corporate greed, in my humble opinion. The resort and the land it sits on were supposed to become part of the National Park last year, but that never happened.

EHI Acquisitions – the company that operated the hotel until Hurricane Irma – filed a federal lawsuit back in June 2022 that claimed the land, buildings and improvements at Caneel Bay should be theirs. The United States government thinks that’s ridiculous, as do I. So they’ve been battling it out in court ever since.

In their latest court filings, they are currently fighting over three words – offer, convey and transfer – specifically what their true meanings are. This is how ridiculous this case has become.

There is a clause in a contract that the hotel was operating under (that’s the CliffNotes way of describing it) that said if the hotel people no longer wanted to operate during their lease period (again CliffNotes version here), they could ” include an offer” … “to convey and transfer” the property, buildings and its improvements to the United States government. If the United States said no, EHI could keep it all. EHI exercised this clause and asked for a $70 million payout. The US said no way, they believe the land, etc, could only be transferred by way of a gift, so here we are.

The United States believes the phrase “offer to convey and transfer” is plain and unambiguous. EHI disagrees.

EHI believes the words offer and acceptance are ambiguous. The United States disagrees.

EHI believes that the term “an offer” has one and only one meaning: a manifestation of willingness to enter into a bargain i.e., to enter an agreement to exchange something for something else. The United States disagrees.

The United States is adamant that EHI should have gifted the land, etc. to the United States and that should not have a monetary value attached to it. EHI disagrees.

EHI is so adamant that the property is theirs that they’re arguing over nouns versus verbs. True story. It’s getting this silly, folks.

The United States pointed out in their filing that “EHI signed documents agreeing to convey and transfer the improvements to the United States at the end of the RUE (the lease agreement I mentioned) and operated under those documents for over 15 years. It was only after EHI failed to get the RUE extended and the time was approaching for EHI to transfer the improvements to the United States that, all of a sudden, EHI claimed it owned the entire 150 acres of land and all the improvements on it.”

Boom! And there you have it! Again, in my humble opinion… lol.

The United States believes that “EHI has been enriched because it has retained possession of the Improvements located on prime real estate in St. John. EHI also has retained possession of the insurance proceeds that it received to rebuild the Caneel Bay Resort after the 2017 hurricanes.”

And EHI believes that the United States can only prevail “only by demonstrating that it means only a gift and precludes a bargain.”

What. A. Mess.

A new federal judge was brought in last month from Philadelphia. We still have no clue why our local federal judge was removed from the case. I do have hope that the new judge will rule on this sooner than later. And maybe, just maybe, I can finally write a positive story about Caneel Bay. That’s been long overdue!

I’ll keep you all posted!

Want to learn more about what’s happening at Caneel Bay? Click one of the following links to learn more:

• This is What Caneel Bay Looks Like Today. – Jan. 15, 2024
• New Federal Judge Overseeing Caneel Bay Case – Jan. 8, 2024
• Environmental Cleanup to Begin at Caneel Bay Resort – Dec. 12, 2023
• Caneel Bay Will Not Become Part of the National Park Today – Oct. 1, 2023
• National Park Service Announces Plan to Reopen Caneel Bay – July 31, 2023
• Caneel Bay: The Messy Legal Battle for Ownership – June 11, 2023

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

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Hello everyone! It’s another soggy day here in St. John. Rather than dwelling on the weather, let’s look ahead at the weekend, a time when the sun is finally expected to return!

There are numerous spots to watch the Super Bowl here in St. John this weekend. Nearly every bar that is open that late will be showing the game. Some, however, are throwing Super Bowl parties. Here is what I know so far…

The Tap Room

The Tap Room just screams Super Bowl party, don’t ya think? The boys are offering reserved tables for four for just $100. Included with the table is one round of drinks and an order of their award-winning wings. Have more than four people in your group? You can add a person for $25 each. Call 340-715-7775 to reserve your spot. The rest of the bar/restaurant will be available first-come, first-served. The Tap Room is located in Mongoose Junction.

The Upstairs Bar & Downstairs

The Upstairs Bar & The Downstairs will have the game on all of their TVs with sound. The Upstairs is open-air, and The Downstairs is fully air-conditioned, so pick your poison. 🙂 They do not accept reservations, so get there early. The Upstairs & Downstairs is located in Cruz Bar, directly across from The Longboard.

Sweet Shack

The Sweet Shack is getting in on the action too and will have a rooftop Super Bowl party. This party is limited to 60 people. You can reserve a seat for $25 That includes one 16oz drink, unlimited popcorn and your name on a $5 square. The Sweet Shack is located across the street from Shambles on Centerline Road, or Route 10 on the map. It’s about two miles outside of Cruz Bay.

The Beach Bar 

Want to watch the Super Bowl at the beach? The Beach Bar will have the game on all of its TVs too. They do not accept reservations, so get there early. The Beach Bar is located directly on the beach in Cruz Bay. Not on island? Not a problem! You can see what’s happening at The Beach Bar by checking out its webcams at www.explorestj.com/webcams.

Johnny Lime

Johnny Lime will be open until the Super Bowl ends. They will be showing the game with sound. They do not accept reservations, so get there early. Johnny Lime is located in Coral Bay.

Skinny Legs

Skinny Legs is closing early on Super Bowl Sunday. They will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. They are closing early for a staff Super Bowl party. They will reopen Tuesday at 11 a.m. Skinny Legs is located in Coral Bay.

Da Event Lounge

Da Event Lounge is holding a Pre-Super Bowl Game Night tonight, February 8th. The party starts at 8 p.m. Wear your favorite jersey and win up to $300 in cash! DJ LS1 will be on hand. There will be drink specials and beer specials all night. Da Event Lounge is located in Cruz Bay just up the hill from the bulkhead and across from Hercules Pate.

Other Spots With TVs That Will Likely Be Showing The Game 

• Woody’s
• Tap & Still
• Greengo’s
• Drink
• Lovango Rum Bar
• Concordia

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

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Well folks, I have bad news to share for those of you who are currently vacationing in St. John. There is a ton of rain in the forecast over the next couple of days. We’re expected to get two to four inches of rain over the next two days. So today I am going to provide you with some suggestions on what to do on a rainy day in St. John.

Shop, Dine & Drink

The shops and restaurants will remain open even if we receive monsoon rains. Mongoose Junction is a great place to spend a few hours on a rainy day. Enjoy a locally crafted beer from The Tap Room, fresh-rolled sushi at 1864, or an ice cream cone over at Scoops. Looking to shop? I love Sugar Birds and Island Fancy for unique souvenirs, Big Planet, Just Beach, and Lulee for clothing, and Caravan Gallery for jewelry. There are a ton of other great spots at Mongoose, so check out everything while you’re there. When it rains super hard, the gut that runs underneath Mongoose will become a raging river. It’s a pretty neat thing to check out.

Grab an umbrella and head over to Wharfside Village. I am fairly certain that The Beach Bar and High Tide will be rocking. There’s great shopping over there too. Check out the Spice Shop, The Little Things, the jewelry stores, and more.

For those of you who enjoy having a shot while you’re on vacation, The Upstairs, which is located across from The Longboard, offers free rain shots. Please drink responsibly!

If you have a vehicle, you can head up Centerline Road and check out Shambles or Mid Way Cafe & Grill. Both have ample covered spaces and are great places to grab a bite or enjoy a few cocktails.

Over in Coral Bay? Head to Skinny Legs and join in on the fun. There is a great retail shop there called Mumbo Jumbo, so you can combine some retail therapy with one of Skinny’s famous burgers. Once you’re done, walk across the street and check out Pirate’s Cove or go around the corner to Jolly Dog and Coral Bay Adventures.

Explore the Island

If you have a vehicle, take a ride around the island. Be careful if it is raining hard because small rocks sometimes fall into the roadway and there can be a lot of water that pools on the roadways.

You can grab a book and sit under the pavilion at Hawksnest, or grab a raincoat and check out some of the island’s rich history. You can explore Catherineberg, Annaberg, or even the Cinnamon Bay Sugar Factory. All are very cool spots, rain or shine. Speaking of Cinnamon Bay, they are now serving lunch in the main restaurant. This is a large covered restaurant, so it could be a nice new spot to grab some lunch this week.

Hike to a Waterfall

If it really does rain as forecasted, a waterfall will form at Reef Bay. This is definitely a sneaker or sandals with straps kind of hike, as it will definitely be slippery. The trailhead for the Reef Bay trail is about five miles outside of Cruz Bay and about three miles outside of Coral Bay on Route 10, also known as Centerline Road. The trail is 2.1 miles in each direction if you are going from the road to the ocean, and it is quite steep. There is a spur trail on the right that will lead you to the petroglyphs where the waterfall will form. Pack a bag, bring snacks, and plenty of water for this hike.

A small waterfall is likely to form between Cinnamon and Maho bays. The water will flow across the road, so be careful when driving in that area.

“Invite Someone Over Your House”

Dalton, my five-year-old, is sitting beside me and asked me to tell all of you that you can also “invite someone over to your house” when it rains. So there’s that too. 🙂

For those of you who are off-island, you can still see what’s going on. Check out more than 20 live-streaming webcams at www.explorestj.com/webcams.

Stay dry everyone!

Looking to take a St. John island tour?

Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.

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