RESORT SOLD TO CANADIAN GROUP.

RHK Hotels Inc. of Toronto, Canada, has bought the 120-room South Ocean Golf and Beach Resort from WinFare, another Canadian company, for an estimated US$18 million: . RHK Hotels is the hotel division of Toronto's RHK Capital Inc. South Ocean is the second hotel it has purchased in the Bahamas. The corporation purchased the run-down British Colonial Hotel, a Nassau landmark, in 1996 and says it plans to upgrade it to a four-star corporate resort and office complex; . The South Ocean's 25-year history has been fraught with failure. Divi Hotels bought the hotel in 1987, planning an ambitious expansion. But it filed for bankruptcy in 1990. Ramada Hotels purchased the resort from Divi, but went into voluntary liquidation in 1994. The resort was then sold to WinFare, in 1995; . Hans Gerhardt, president of RHK Hotels, said the company plans to double the size of the South Ocean resort. Gerhardt described the golf course as the "jewel" and the "heart" of the property. He said more attention will be paid to restoring the resort's "great houses" and the waterfront. He said the resort also hopes to join with Stewart Cove's South Ocean Dive, a local scuba diving operator, for joint marketing plans. Gerhardt said his company was the 63rd investor to look at the property. "Sixty-two others walked through and didn't see what we saw," Gerhardt said. Equipment to manufacture bed linens (sheets, pillow cases) and towels -- cutting, sewing and pressing equipment and raw materials, are required by a new company established to produce for the hotel industry in the Bahamas. Contact: Vance Major and Ulric Johnson, Bahamas Towel Mfg. Co. Ltd., Industrial Park, Old Trail Rd., Nassau, Bahamas. Tel: c/o U.S. Embassy [phone]. Fax: c/o U.S. Embassy [phone]. Machinery for processing raw hair into hair pieces/hair weaves -- stock or custom -- design machinery to move hair through several washes and rinses, also blowers and heaters to create a drying room for washed hair is sought by a local firm which has been operating since 1991 and seeks to expand. Bank ref: Bank of Nova Scotia, Palmdale Branch, PO Box N-7518, Nassau, Bahamas. Contact: Harley Moultrie or Phillip Burrows, Tamarind Intl Hair Co. PO Box CB-13320, Nassau, Bahamas. Tel: [phone]. Fax: [phone].