In the annals of XCASSIA’s work since 1958, few projects rival the Zanzibar Domino in Zanzibar, Tanzania. Created by architect Jean-Paul Cassia, this venture has been defined by challenges, determination, and a commitment to its transformative potential.

The project's journey in Africa began in January 2021 when London-Paris-Dubai based XCASSIA received interest from the Tanzanian Joint Venture AICL Group and Chinese financier Crowland Management Ltd. in replicating its "Ha Long Bay Domino" design from Vietnam. By August 2021, an official signing ceremony and press conference, attended by senior government officials and business leaders, inaugurated the 536,000m2 "Zanzibar Domino" project and master plan. Yussef Amour, Chairman of AICL Group, unveiled a $3 billion portfolio for the island's development, including $1.3 billion for the Zanzibar Domino (the early gross development costs assumed for the project, pre-feasibility).

Despite the initial excitement and rapid global press attention, the project faced financing delays and a lack of developer commitments. Jean-Paul Cassia engaged the Honorable Mudrick Soragha, then Minister of Investment, to navigate the exposure and challenges. Jean-Paul recalls “we could not accept the reputational damage to be exposed in this fashion”. By June 2022, XCASSIA severed ties with the original developer and formed a new agreement with the Zanzibar government, to engage financiers it knew in its network.

In July 2022, Tanzanian entrepreneurs Austin Makani and Jesse Ndambala, representing Houston-based GRP Treasury Management Inc., joined the project. On August 1st, Kirk D. Paschal, Chairman of GRP, pledged $1.4 billion for the Zanzibar Domino through a Public-Private Partnership within a wider portfolio it has structures for Tanzania. However, in March 2023, funding scrutiny by the Central Bank Governor and Zanzibar’s Minister of Finance posed a new challenge. Despite the uncertainty, GRP reaffirmed its funding commitment in August 2023, and alternative financiers were considered.

Despite these bruising setbacks to XCASSIA, the project continues to garner public engagement, fueled no doubt by the premature public announcement by the initial developer in 2021. “It made a lot of people in East Africa dream big,” recalls Cassia. “Fundamentally, a project like this is not that challenging to build. The shallow waters where the project was selected are reminiscent of land reclamations in the GCC and major general contractors are already active in that part of the world. Few projects can capture the imagination of a country so directly and receive full government support. The financing drawbacks prevented us from completing the detailed feasibility studies needed to kick-off the project.”

Jean-Paul Cassia comments: “Several parties have approached us to do this project in Saudi Arabia, Ras Al Khaimah, South Korea and recently Malaysia. Ongoing interest in East Africa persists, with debt and equity financiers expressing interest in financing based on a completed feasibility study. With USD 3.5-4.0 million, we can undertake a detailed study to demonstrate the impact this project can have on East African tourism and present the environmental strategies we have in mind to mindfully build this project where it is intended. With close to USD 1.6 billion in asset sales, the equity requirements to start the project represent less than USD 200 million.”

Jean-Paul Cassia concludes: “When a project carries such popular appeal with government backing and is driven by top professionals in design and development, not to mention all the lifestyle and luxury brands involved with XCASSIA, it is perhaps only a question of timing, patience and luck.

XCASSIA believes in the project's transformative power for East Africa and remains open to discussions with potential backers. For any further questions, please contact info@cassia.global.

For any further questions, please contact info@cassia.global