Ship ready to sail to Bimini

Genting opening casino in Bahamas

PORT MIAMI, Fla. – A new ship is about to set sail to the Bahamas.

Resorts World Bimini says its new Bimini SuperFast cruise ship will sail round-trip from Port Miami to the Bimini twice daily beginning soon, once the U.S. Coast Guard gives it the green light.

"It's something different," said Dana Leibovitz, president of Resorts World Bimini. "It's not your typical day casino cruise. That's not what it is at all."

The ship, which steams 30 knots, will transport travelers to Genting Group's new casino in Bimini, which opens Friday.

"It is very similar to any other cruise ship you would go on. It has food and beverage outlets. It has a pool deck. It's got a nightclub upstairs. It has a small casino onboard," said Leibovitz. "You can book on that day or you can book two, three, four days in advance. It's up to you. We make it very, very simple."

The Malaysia-based Genting Group will pay about $11 million upfront to fund Miami-Dade County's refurbishment of Terminal H, where the ship will dock, then be reimbursed in rent credits for the construction costs.

The agreement, which the Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to vote on next month, calls for the Genting Group to pay the port about $7 million yearly in rent.

"We're creating jobs in Miami," said Leibovitz.

Genting's plan for a massive casino resort at the site of the old Miami Herald building has been delayed.