Business View Caribbean | October 2019

33 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN OCTOBER 2019 VALENT INES RES IDENCES , RESORT & MAR INA to be able to keep everybody happy. So, it’s a bit of a dance. “During the high season, we employ about 80 staff members; and about 40 during the four-month non-peak season. There are also private businesses on the property that rent space from us and they employ another 20 staff members. So the campus is responsible for about 100 employees, which makes us the largest employer on the island.” BVC: Are there any recent expansions, or plans to upgrade in the near-term? Spychalla: “Last year, we incorporated a six- bedroom house into the campus. It was a privately-owned home on a corner of the property and we decided it needed to be part of the resort. So, we brought that in July 2018. It’s called Sapodilla House and it’s beautiful. (Sapodilla is a delicious Caribbean fruit.) We’re also getting ready to do a Property Improvement Plan (PIP) – the resort’s in great shape but maybe it’s time to go a little more coastal and modern in our room décor. We’ve already redone the penthouse suite, as well Sapodilla House Sapodilla House