The America’s Cup Trophy arrived in Bermuda at the LF Wade International Airport via a private jet.
The Cup with a police escort was transported to Hamilton in a motorcade. The motorcade passed a number of schools that lined the student on the sidewalk to get a 10 second glimpse along the route.
The Cup eventually made it’s way to the Cabinet Grounds and was met by Premier Michael Dunkley and other Government Officials, along with many who secretly worked behind the scenes to make this happen.
The Premier said to the crowd:
Sir Russell Coutts, General Schiller, Members of the Oracle Team, Dennis Conner, Ministerial Colleagues, special invited guests, friends… it is a pleasure to welcome you and this beautiful America’s Cup to the Cabinet Office on a day that can truly be termed a wonderful day for Bermuda!
I think I can sum up today in four simple words:
Bermuda… We did it!
Ladies and gentlemen, being chosen as the host venue for the 2017 America’s Cup is truly a phenomenal achievement for our Island.
It is yet another example of us being able to host a world class sporting event, but this time, we have pulled a coup d’état.
Over the next three years, Bermuda, our tourism product, our hospitality and our heritage as a maritime sailing destination will receive unprecedented exposure.
Yes, there is much to be excited about today – and later this evening, we are pulling out all the stops by hosting a public celebration on Front Street, complete with local entertainment, the Gombeys and fireworks to commemorate this historical occasion.
This evening will be extra special because tonight I will be officially presenting this beautiful trophy to the people of Bermuda, so I want to encourage all residents to come out and be a part of the celebration.
Friends our pursuit of the America’s Cup is about so much more than just hosting this prestigious event on our shores… in its broader context, it is another example of this Government working to achieve economic growth and job creation for our people.
Experience from former host venues indicates it will have a powerful impact on our economy over the next three years, attracting worldwide attention and generating jobs, investment and revenue across multiple sectors including, hospitality, construction, transport, security, retail, wholesale, real estate and telecommunications.
Hosting an event of this magnitude on our Island will require teamwork, and the support and participation from all spheres of our community.
It will require a continuation, and an expansion, of the cooperative spirit and dedication of the team of private sector volunteers, civil servants and other professionals who have worked tirelessly together to advance Bermuda’s winning bid.
Ladies and gentlemen as I close, I must single out a few key individuals who were instrumental to getting us to this point.
The Minister of Education and Economic Development, Dr. the Hon. Grant Gibbons and his team of technical officers led by Mrs. Jasmin Smith, in addition to Mr. Peter Durhager and Mr. Mike Winfield. These individuals represent a much broader team which came together to craft our bid and guide us through the long journey which culminates today, here with the arrival of the Cup.
Thank you all for your tireless dedication to this monumental cause.
Bermuda, the dream has become a reality.
And now, it’s time for us to all roll up our sleeves and get to work so that we can fulfill our goal of making the 2017 America’s Cup one of the most memorable events in sports history.
Sir Russell, General Harvey Schiller and all of the Americas Cup team, once again a warm welcome to Bermuda.
We look forward to seeing much of you as we work together to make the Americas Cup one of the most unforgettable sports events.