Jamaica’s tourism minister said the government has stepped away plans to sell land to one of two development group authorized to build destination resorts with casinos on the Caribbean island nation.
The minister, Edmund Bartlett, said Celebration Jamaica Development Limited failed to meet a second deadline to start construction on Montego Bay. The deadline was included in the project’s provisional designation as an “Approved Integrated Resort Development.”
The cancellation further places the island’s future as a gaming destination in doubt.
The other company awarded AIRD status, Harmony Cove Limited, reportedly is pursuing backers in China for an IR in Trelawny but has yet to secure financing.
The government’s Urban Development Corporation planned to sell Celebration 96.5 acres at Success, Rose Hall, for US$40 million. According to news reports, Celebration had hoped to start construction in January of this year.
Both Celebration and Harmony Cove missed initial 2016 deadlines for their projects to break ground.
Celebration’s plans call for 2,000 hotel rooms, retail space, an “artisan village,” a Caribbean world music attraction and a 75,000-square-foot casino and sports book, among other features. A price tag of US$500 million was attached to the first phase.
Harmony Cove was projecting 1,000 rooms and a casino in its project’s first phase, expanding to 5,000 rooms, a golf course, luxury spa, marina facilities and convention and meeting facilities at full build out.
