Gov. House: Groundbreaking for Club Med on STX

Gov. House: Groundbreaking   

     for Club Med on STX

M.A. Dworkin

     St. Croix - Government House Director of Communications Richard Motta Jr. at the Monday, July 13, 2026, press briefing which took place at Government House on St. Croix provided updates on the upcoming Club Med groundbreaking at the former Carambola Beach Resort. 

     Members of the Bryan-Roach Administration will join Club Med, VICI Properties and local stakeholders on St. Croix on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, for the first stone ceremony for the new Club Med. 

     The ceremony is essentially a groundbreaking for the new Club Med St. Croix hotel project and marks the beginning of the next chapter for one of St. Croix’s most iconic hospitality properties. The former Carambola site is being redeveloped into a premium all-inclusive resort which is expected to bring new jobs, business opportunities and economic activity to the Big Island. 

     “This is a significant private sector investment in St. Croix,” Mr. Motta said. “It is also a clear sign of the progress being made under the Bryan-Roach Administration to strengthen our tourism product, attract serious investors and expand economic opportunity in the Territory.”

     Mr. Motta said Club Med’s return to the United States through St. Croix reflects growing confidence in the Virgin Islands as a destination for major hospitality investment.

     Club Med’s planned $75 million redo of the Carambola Resort promises to blend the island’s heritage with a more contemporary experience-led approach designed for today’s traveler. 

     Developed in partnership with VICI Properties, an S&P 500 Real Estate Trust, which has bought the Carambola Beach Resort, Club Med St. Croix plans to begin construction in the summer of 2026, there is currently an expected opening date for the Club Med in the fourth quarter of 2027.

     The all-inclusive resort will rank as Club Med’s highest tier of all-inclusive resorts. Unlike Club Med’s more traditional family-focused resorts, the Carambola property is being positioned for couples, friends, multigenerational travelers and families with children 12 and older. 

     According to Club Med, the resort will emphasize wellness, nature, adventure, and Caribbean culture. Once open the resort is expected to generate approximately 200 direct jobs, with additional economic activity expected to be created through indirect employment, and extensive partnerships with local excursion operators, local farmers and artisans. 

     The $75 million redevelopment plan aims to preserve the historic Rock House - which was originally built by the Laurance Rockefeller family - as a luxury wellness spa. Club Med will be adding to the grounds an open-air reception center, pool club and adult only “zen oasis.”

     Monday’s press briefing also included hurricane preparedness updates from the Virgin Islands Territorial Management Agency (VITEMA) Director Daryl Jaschen and Department of Public Works (DPW) Commissioner Derek Gabriel who cautioned residents to remain vigil and continue their hurricane preparations despite the current below normal forecasts for hurricanes in the 2026 season. Regular updates throughout the season will continue. 

     Mr. Motta also noted that the Bryan-Roach Administration has issued another round of income tax refunds totaling approximately $5.4 million to about 1,632 Virgin Islands tax filers who filed their income tax returns to the BIR through the filing date of June 28, 2024. With this latest release, the Bryan-Roach Administration has now issued more than $37 million in income tax refunds during FY 2026, which began on October 1, 2025. 

     “This latest payment continues the Administration’s steady work to bring income tax refunds current,” Mr. Motta concluded.