The filming for Disney’s $400 million-budget Pirates of the Caribbean II and III movies hase been placed in potential jeopardy by the failure of Grand Bahama-based Gold Rock Creek Enterprises to secure a lease from th egovernment for the site upon which they will build their $76 million film studio complex.
A substantial portion of the film is due to be shot at Gold Rock Creek’s shooting tanks in Grand BAhama, particluarly the water-based and underwater scenes.
But Ken Russell, the FNM MP for Hgh Rock, yesterday told The House of Assembly that the investors behind the development had been unable to start full construction at the site because they had been waiting to agree a lease with the government for the past two years.
As a result the trio behind the film studios – Hans Schutte, Paul Quigley and Michael Quigley – were said by Mr. Russell to be considering whether to pull out of their Bahamian investment, which would force Disney to film Pirates of the Caribbean II and III elsewhere.
The delay over signing the lease – and the subsequent construction hold up has imposed immense pressure on Disney’s already tight schedule, with filming set to to begin this May and be completed by January 2006.
Disney is said to have become increasingly agitated over what it perceives as government foot-dragging on its project. However, The Tribune understands that both the Gold Rock Creek investors and the film cmpany are still confident that the lease issue will be resolved speedily and the Pirates of the Caribbean II and III will proceed as planned.
Source: Neil Hartnell, The Tribune
