Movie star Douglas enthused about Ariel Sands progress

Film star Michael Douglas has sparked fresh optimism about the pending redevelopment of Ariel Sands.

Mr Douglas is currently on island working on building his “family’s new hotel” on the Devonshire property.

It’s the second time in just a few months that he has visited the island with a view to pushing ahead his plans.

On Monday Mr Douglas posted a picture of himself in Bermuda on his Facebook page saying: “In Bermuda, working on building my family’s new hotel at Ariel Sands. It is going to be great.”

The comment attracted huge attention on social media, including more than 41,000 likes and over 1,200 shares.

Mr Douglas is a part-owner of the Ariel Sands property along with members of the Dill family.

Last night his relative, Bishop Nicholas Dill, told the Bermuda Sun: “We are looking forward to seeing the property come back on line.

“And we are hopeful that it will be an exciting new phase in Bermuda’s hotel industry, if and when it happens.”

In March of this year, Mr Douglas was in Bermuda trumpeting his plans to redevelop Ariel Sands.

He posted: “Just returned from Bermuda, the home of my mother’s family for the last 400 years.

“The family has had a cottage colony called Ariel Sands for the past 60 years. Now we are building a new one... very exciting.”

The Bermuda Sun contacted the Bermuda Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism Development for this story. But neither would comment on the plans, which have yet to be unveiled publicly.

Ariel Sands has been empty since it closed in 2007 pending redevelopment.

And a series of potential deals, including one with the Hilton hotel group, failed to get off the ground.

It had been announced in 2006 that Hilton Grand Vacation Club was to partner with Ariel Sands in a $170 million timeshare villa, spa, restaurant, conference centre and hotel development, and planning permission was approved in March the following year.