On May 28, 2014, ocean-themed megaresort Atlantis Paradise Island will celebrate its 20th anniversary.

In May 1994, the signing of a Heads of Agreement for the sale of Resorts International’s Paradise Island hotel to Sun International signaled a renaissance in the Bahamian tourism product.

Inking the deal 20 years ago this month, South African hotel mogul Sir Sol Kerzner rolled out a development plan to create a themed destination that would forever change the face of Paradise Island and The Bahamas.

Atlantis, currently owned by Brookfield Asset Management Corp, will mark the 20th anniversary with a year-long celebration.

Since opening, more than 50,000 Bahamians have been directly or indirectly employed by Atlantis and the resort has hosted more than 15 million visitors.

During the celebratory year, Atlantis will organize numerous employee, community and guest festivities, including additional employee benefits, local community beautification projects, unique dining experiences, and special offers.

Over the last 20 years, Atlantis has donated more than $27 million to the local community, received around 200 prestigious travel awards, been featured in more than 5,000 television broadcasts, as well as in magazines, films and on websites.