I think 6-9 months is way optimistic. Just the logistics of getting building material shipped to the Caribbean is daunting enough, but further complicated due to heavy damage inflicted to the entire Caribbean, but especially to the US mainland, which will surely take priority. Had the damage been limited to the USVI, I'd have been more optimistic, but there's no way that repairing St. John, which is 75% national park with very few full-time residents, is going to take priority over repairing Miami or Tampa...or St. Thomas. No way, no how. Even if the federal government (or Vistana/MVC) throws a bunch of money their way, what good is cash if you lack lumber and skilled tradesman?
And, remember, even though USVI is technically part of the US, they actually operate as a separate entity. They have their own government, own utilities, own currency, etc., and they will suffer as a result. For example, it would be so much easier for them if they were served by Verizon or Duke Energy, massive national US companies. Last week, as soon as models predicted that Florida was going to get hit, Duke started sending workers and trucks from all over the country to the southeast to assist. The Caribbean islands do not enjoy the benefits of unification and mutual cooperation. Not only are they physically removed from each other via a large body of water, but most don't share a common government. IOW, it's not like Aruba (Dutch) is going to send electric workers over to assist St. Bart (UK) or St. John (US).
Even if materials became available, and the ports of Miami, Savannah and Charleston are quickly repaired, you still have the lack of a deep-water port on St. John large enough to accommodate a container ship. That means that heavy equipment and materials will have to first be shipped to the port in St. Thomas (which may have to be repaired first), then moved to smaller boats (which may have been damaged or sunk in the storm) to be transported to St. John. That takes dollars, manpower, and time...all of which will be diverted to rebuilding St. Thomas first.
And, of course, we have the unmentionable fact that September is the beginning of hurricane season.
No, a leisure resort will be (and should be!) triaged far below other more emergent needs, such as rebuilding roads, hospitals, gas stations, grocery stores, government buildings, schools, and residents' homes. My prediction is that it'll take 12 to 18 months for WSJ to be up and running, and that is assuming no further setbacks, such as crappy weather or civil unrest.
