Nirwana Bali operates, controversy forgotten<\/p>\n
By Sylvia Gratia Miranda<\/p>\n
TABANAN, BALI (JP): Controversy was forgotten as the Minister
\nof Tourism, Post and Telecommunication Joop Ave officially opened
\nNirwana Bali Resort, Bali's first integrated resort, last month.<\/p>\n
The resort is within walking distance of the sea temple Pura
\nTanah Lot, one of the holiest temples for Hindu Bali devotees.<\/p>\n
Built in the 15th century, the temple is in Tabanan regency,
\nabout 40 kilometers south of Denpasar.<\/p>\n
The resort's presence kindled a great deal of controversy in
\nearly 1994 due to its close proximity to the Hindu sanctuary.<\/p>\n
For many Balinese the US$300 million project, on which work
\nstarted in March 1994, threatens the sanctity of the temple.<\/p>\n
Controversy over the Bali Nirwana Project become very heated
\nafter the central board of Parishada Hindu Dharma, the highest
\nHindu body, sharply criticized the Bali provincial government for
\nissuing permits for the project.<\/p>\n
According to the Parishada, any development unrelated to
\nreligious needs is forbidden within a two-kilometer radius of
\nPura Tanah Lot.<\/p>\n
The 109-hectare resort threatened the Tanah Lot shrine's
\nposition as a decorative ornament, the Parishada said.<\/p>\n
Now, those living near the resort have found greater
\nprosperity because of the project.<\/p>\n
Dorian P. Landers, chief executive officer of PT Bakrie
\nNirwana Resort, the resort's developer told The Jakarta Post that
\nthe controversial problem was settled satisfactorily with a win-
\nwin decision for the Balinese of surrounding villages and the
\ndeveloper.<\/p>\n
Landers said the company had renovated 12 temples within the
\nresorts boundaries which were opened for residents from
\nsurrounding villages to use for worship and ceremonies.<\/p>\n
\"There are no social conflicts with residents of surrounding
\nvillages as we kept our promise to maintain the puras (Hindu
\ndevotees temples) and to employ their young people in our
\nresort,\" Landers said.<\/p>\n
He said Nirwana Bali Resort employed over 1,000 people.<\/p>\n
Seventy-five percent of the resort's employees come from local
\nvillages and the Tabanan regency, the rest are from other parts
\nof Bali, Java and overseas.<\/p>\n
Nirwana Bali Resort is made up of a five-star, 278-room Le
\nMeridien Nirwana Golf and Spa hotel, 184 residential units,
\nluxury villas, resort homes, cottages, estate lots, an executive
\nclub, 180 timeshare suites, an 18-hole golf course designed by
\ngolfer Greg Norman, a thallaso-therapy marine spa, and sport
\nfacilities.<\/p>\n
The resort is owned by its developer PT Bakrie Nirwana Resort,
\na firm jointly owned by Bakrie Nusantara Corporation and Bakrie
\nInvestindo, subsidiaries of the widely diversified Bakrie Group.<\/p>\n
It was designed by U.S based Wimberly Allison Tong & Go, a
\nleading architectural firm specializing in designs for the
\nhospitality and leisure industry.<\/p>\n
Sales<\/p>\n
Landers admitted that the unstable economic condition had
\naffected the firm's sales of residential units -- which are sold
\nto customers before they are built.<\/p>\n
He said the company had changed direction with its residential
\nproducts, and was now offering to build small villas and cottages
\ninstead of the luxury villas it was offering before the economic
\nslowdown began four months ago.<\/p>\n
He said the change was a result of consumer demand for homes
\nwith lower price tags.<\/p>\n
\"We used to have only luxury villas and resort homes (on
\noffer). Now we have villas, and cottages which are smaller.<\/p>\n
People don't have to spend over US$400,000 to buy a villa,\" he
\nsaid adding that cottages sold for $250,000.<\/p>\n
He said that the company had extended its sales target
\ndeadline due to the sluggish sales.<\/p>\n
\"Our initial target was by that the end of 1998, all
\nresidential units, except the timeshares, were supposed to be
\nsold, but amid this current economic situation it is more
\ndifficult to sell. So we set a new deadline for selling all the
\nresidential products -- by the end of 1999.\"<\/p>\n
More than 30 percent of the villas have been sold. Most buyers
\nare Indonesians from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He said construction costs had risen about 20 percent due to
\nincreased raw material prices.<\/p>\n
\"But we're trying not to increase our product prices. We're
\ntrying to design new models which use more traditional materials
\nsuch as alang-alang, bamboo, rattan and coconut wood,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that the construction costs were pushed up by the 20
\npercent rise in the price of cement from Java.<\/p>\n
\"We are minimizing the effect of the increasing costs by using
\nabout 70 percent local materials,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The hotel reached 25 percent occupancy rates in its first
\nmonth of operation, surpassing the initial 15 percent target.<\/p>\n
\"We expect occupancy rates to reach over 75 percent next year,
\nas the marine spa opens in February,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said the golf course which opened in July was the most
\nsuccessful facility in attracting the tourists.<\/p>\n
It now has over 200 members.<\/p>\n
\"As we've seen a rapid demand for golf courses, we decided to
\nlimit the membership to 550 members,\" Steve Lamerton, the golf
\ncourse general manager said, adding that most members were rich
\npeople and businessman from Java.<\/p>\n
Build to be environmentally friendly, about 70 percent of the
\nresort is dedicated to landscaped and open green spaces, with
\nover 20 hectares of original rice terraces remaining on the
\nresort where local farmers are allowed to tend and harvest the
\ncrops.<\/p>\n
Landers said that the rice terraces were another value-added
\nbonus for local farmers.<\/p>\n
\"We employ them to maintain and harvest the paddy fields. The
\nharvest ... will be given to the banjar (Balinese hamlet
\nassociation), which will distribute the rice fairly to the
\nresidents,\" he said.<\/p>\n
One of the residents, I Komang Artana, said that most people
\nin his village were happy that the resort was there because it
\nhad increased the value of their land.<\/p>\n
\"Prior to the project, our land value was only ... Rp 1,300
\nper square meter. The project enables us to sell our land at ...
\nRp 40,000 per square meter,\" he said.<\/p>\n
And while the Balinese traditionally frequent the mossy
\nseaside temple with offerings for God, the people next door will
\nbe busily swinging clubs, hitting white balls, or drinking soft
\ndrinks in the lounge.<\/p>\n
Maybe it is the price the Balinese have to pay for their
\nculture becoming a tourist attraction.<\/p>",
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