NASSAU, The Bahamas, February 6, 2024 – The demolition of the former Gaming Board building on West Bay Street marked the closing of an important chapter in the history of the Gaming Board for The Bahamas.
Known as the old Renaissance Building, the property was owned by the Hotel Corporation of The Bahamas and previously served as the headquarters of the Gaming Board for more than 30 years. During that time, the building was home to the Board’s administrative and regulatory operations and the Team Members responsible for carrying out its mandate to regulate and oversee the gaming industry in The Bahamas.
In 2013, the Gaming Board relocated its operations to Centreville House, bringing its longstanding occupancy of the West Bay Street property to an end. The move represented a new chapter for the organisation, providing a different setting from which to continue its regulatory responsibilities and serve the public.
The former Renaissance Building was demolished in February 2024 as part of the Government’s plans to enhance the Goodman’s Bay area. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism, Investments and Aviation, the Hon. Chester Cooper, noted that removing the derelict structure would improve the surrounding landscape, with plans to transform the area into additional green space. The Government also indicated that consultations had taken place with historians and the Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation ahead of the demolition.
Although the building is no longer standing, its place in the Board’s history remains. For more than three decades, it was the location from which the organisation carried out its work before moving to Centreville House. Its demolition therefore represents not only a change to the West Bay Street landscape, but also the physical removal of a property closely associated with the Board’s institutional beginnings and development.
