After decades of planning and changing of ownership, The Victoria International Marina will finally accept its first mega-yacht this year in mid-August.
Craig Norris, Victoria International Marina CEO, said that construction of the marina is about 50% finished. However, high demand for moorage will see a select few yachts arrive in about three weeks time.
The marina’s grand opening won’t happen until next year, just before the facility hosts the Melges24 World Championship sailing regatta in May 2018.
Designed for mega-yacht owners, but with an impact on the rest of Victoria
Though the marina will primarily serve as a moorage point for 65 to 175-foot long mega-yachts, the development will also have an impact on Victoria as a whole.
Norris estimated that the economic impact of welcoming each luxury vessel amounts to $1 million. “These are small businesses these yachts that run,” he said.
The marina will also add two buildings: one, an “amenity and flex space”, and the other a high-quality restaurant called the “Boom & Batten“. Both will be accessible to the public.
“Luxury Green” Marina
Though the lifestyle of a mega yacht owner might not be particularly environmentally friendly, the Victoria International Marina has at least striven to minimize its own ecological impact.
The marina is currently pursuing the highest certification level of the Georgia Strait Alliance’s Clean Marine program. New clean technologies will be used, including a Tesla electric vehicle and charging station, electric golf carts, hybrid electric engines on marina boats, and possible solar window films and wall panels on the main operations building.
A goal of 90% waste diversion has also been set, meaning only a small percentage of the marina’s garbage will end up in the landfill.
Quick Facts:
- First conceived in the early 1980s
- Currently, 50% completed and experienced delays due to a combination of location, weather, and construction scheduling difficulties.
- Includes 2 corridors for paddlers
- Dock railings will include a strip of colour-changing LED lights
- Expected to go approx. $10 million over its original $24 million budget
- Daily moorage price: $3.41 per foot per night*
- 28 large slips, with seven each allocated as:
- transient spaces
- seasonal spaces
- 1-year lease spaces
- 40-year lease spaces
*Different deal-specific options for 40-year and 1-year leases.
