A photo caption with a July 25 Business article about plans to build a luxury hotel in Liberia misidentified the man seated next to a hotel bed. He is Corey Printup of the RLJ Cos. Also, the article incorrectly said Liberia is in northern Africa; it is in West Africa.
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Liberia's New Lap of Luxury
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Once people understand the dearth of existing accommodations in Liberia and what Kendeja will offer, in contrast, Johnson said, "we're confident that people will reserve these rooms for long periods of time."
When completed, the resort property, about 20 miles north of Monrovia, will feature a wide expanse of Atlantic beachfront, with palm trees, tennis courts, a spa, health club and swimming pool. Less obvious will be the round-the-clock guards and security center, bulletproof glass, infrared motion detectors and biometric clocks to track employees' comings and goings from the resort.
Steven Radelet, senior fellow at the Center for Global Development who has served as an economic adviser to Johnson Sirleaf but is not involved in the Kendeja project, said security will be a major factor in Liberia's recovery. Still, large projects like Johnson's and the $30 million fund help signal that the country is open for business.
"It's not like all the bad guys just disappeared. They're still there. A lot of them," Radelet said. "But the more people invest, the more jobs are created. . . . The more jobs that are created, the safer the environment is for everybody."
Accessibility is an issue for the Kendeja resort, Johnson acknowledged. The hotel will meet U.S. State Department security standards, but the nearest airport, Roberts Field, is not up to Federal Aviation Administration standards and no U.S. carriers fly into it. (The resort will feature tennis courts that can be converted into a helipad in case of emergency.)
Last year, when Johnson visited the country, Liberians welcomed him warmly but with a note of skepticism.
"Is this the beginning of foreign investment boom for Liberia or is it just a showbiz?" asked the Analyst, a newspaper in the capital.
Johnson says his hotel plans will answer that.
"This is a philanthropic effort that will make money," he said. Those returns, he said, will help spur reconstruction of the country's schools, roads, hospitals, utilities and businesses.
