French Polynesia's tourism minister says that after more than a decade of planning and legal problems, signing a contract for the Mahana Beach Resort is a significant achievement.
The government at the weekend announced that an agreement had been signed with a Chinese consortium to construct the massive US$2 billion complex on Tahiti.
Signing of deal to build Mahana Beach resort complex in Tahiti Photo: supplied
The minister, Jean-Christophe Bouissou, says the project is the largest tourism development in all of France, and will create thousands of jobs for the territory.
He says a final contract for the 70-year agreement will be signed by the end of June, with a provision to secure work for locals.
"That's one big point of the MOU, is first of all to hire people from French Polynesia building this complex, building the hotels, but also running these hotels, the restaurants and running all the other part of the programme."
Jean-Christophe Bouissou says the Mahana Beach Resort development will also bring plenty of flow-on effect for the territory's economy.