After months of downplaying the pending purchase of American Yacht Harbor, Dennis Kissman announced this week that the deal is final. The marina and shopping complex on St. Thomas' East End has 84 slips and five docks, a service station and fuel dock, and space for 50 shops.
In a written statement, Kissman "declined" to identify the new owners except as a Texas-based investor group. However, public records at the Coastal Zone Management division of Planning and Natural Resources list MOF VI Limited Partnership as the entity to which minor permits were transferred. A pending renewal of the major permit also is expected to be assigned to the company by American Yacht Harbor Holding, Inc., the seller.
Kissman's management company, Marina Management Services, Inc., will manage the property. He is also a manager and part-owner at Crown Bay Marina on St. Thomas' west side, but he has said previously that the group buying AYH is not involved in Crown Bay.
Kissman could not be reached Thursday. The AYH office said he was off-island, and his office in Boca Raton, Florida, said he was out of the office. He did not return a message seeking more information about the purchase.
In his press release, he said his company's operational plan for AYH "calls for continued focus on attracting more sportfishing charter operators, elite anglers, and recreational boat owners to the Virgin Islands."
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