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LOCAL Saturday 17 december 2016

After completing multi-million dollar renovations:

The Hilton Aruba Caribbean Resort & Casino Celebrates

the Reopening of the Grand Dame

PALM BEACH - For the past
18 months, the Hilton Aruba
Caribbean underwent ex-
tensive, multi-million dollar
renovations, updating ev-
erything from its rooms and
suites, to its restaurants,
common areas and lush
tropical grounds.
To celebrate the comple-
tion of the renovations, the
resort hosted a special cer-
emony and unveiling this
week.
The reopening ceremony
of the resort was staged in
the newly renovated lobby
of the Grande Dame in the
presence of the island’s
Governor, Fredis Refunjol
and his wife, the Minister of
Tourism Mike de Meza, as
well as other government
ministers, members of Par-
liament, members of the
media, the Aruba Growth
Fund partners, Hilton World-
wide representatives, and
many of the 414 resort
team members.
Special guest of honor at signed by a world famous
the ceremony was Oscar American architect Morris
Henriquez, who was among Lapidus.
those who conceived the At age 90, Henriquez was
hotel in the first place. honored along with the
As the island’s first Commis- Governor to officially cut
sioner of Tourism in 1955, the ribbon and declare the
Henriquez reported to the resort open, in time for the
Finance Minister Juancho high season of 2017.
Irausquin, his partner in the
decision to introduce tour- Continued on Page 27
ism to Aruba, in the form of
a five star luxury hotel, de-