History Of The Atlantis Paradise Island Resort In the Bahamas
Sol Kerzner was an accountant who took over his family hotel chain business and transformed it into the wildly successful hotel group known as Sun International. On the heels of his very successful Sun City resort and casino in South Africa, Kerzner created Atlantis on Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
The Beginning of Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas
The keystone of Paradise Island is the Beach Tower, which Kerzner purchased as the Paradise Beach Hotel when he began the creation of the resort. Kerzner then turned the Britannia Beach Hotel into the Coral Towers, meant to appeal to families. Kerzner then added the Royal Towers, which contains the Bridge Suite, clocking in as one of the priciest hotel rooms in the world at $25,000 a night.
Expansion of Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas
More recent additions to the Atlantis include the Reef, which are condominium hotel residences in studio, single bedroom and two bedroom sizes, and the Cove Atlantis, a 600 suite tower right on the ocean designed for high level clientele.
The Next Phase of Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas
In 2007, Kerzner introduced a key part of the next phase of Atlantis Paradise Island: Aquaventure. Aquaventure is a giant water park which includes a water ride known as the Current, and the Power Tower, a 60 foot high tower with four water slides: The Abyss, which drops you 55 feet through blackness and a waterfall ending in a cave surrounded by aquariums, the Drop, which drops you through the center of the tower and pushes you back up, the Falls, which also pushes you both up and down through the ride, and the Surge, which starts at the top of the power tower, drops you 58 feet and pushes you up through a number of turns and into a river which is then flooded sending you into a pool.
The Future of Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas
The future of Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas includes an amazing new attraction called Dolphin Cay. Dolphin Cay is an 11-acre home for dolphins where guests of Atlantis Paradise Island can meet and interact with these gentle creatures. When Hurricane Katrina struck, destroying the Marine Life Oceanarium in Gulfport Mississippi, the Kerzner Marine Foundation stepped in to rescue 16 displaced dolphins and relocate them to Dolphin Cay, where two have already given birth to new dolphins.