Stadium renovation still in holding pattern

Independence Park Limited (IPL) Chairman Mike Fennell says his organisation is hoping for approval to start renovations to the National Stadium during the upcoming fiscal year.

According to Fennell, the latest reports and assessments have been completed and submitted to the Public Investment Management Secretariat (PIMSEC) for approval.

In an interview with The Gleaner last January, Fennell had said the work would start later this year into early 2022. Fennell said the delay was to ensure that they satisfied the “normal requirements” for such capital expenditure projects.

“PIMSEC is putting it together for presentation for general approval. Once that is approved, then the financing will be put in place for it to proceed. But it’s the process for all major capital expenditures that has to take place and that takes time,” Fennell told The Gleaner.

While admitting that the coronavirus pandemic has caused a setback in starting work on the project, Fennell said that it has not lessened the commitment to executing the renovations as planned, with the hopes of starting parts of the work during the next financial year, emphasising the need for work to begin as soon as possible.

INTENTION TO MODERNISE STADIUM

“There is no question that if the pandemic wasn’t around it would have accelerated a number of things. The pandemic caused a revision of a number of things but the basic intention to modernise is still there and the project is still very much on the cards,” Fennell said.

“We are hopeful that some of these can be started during the course of the next financial year.”

The renovations include adding 10,000 seats, as well as the installation of a new cycling track, as well as the covering of a section of the bleachers and the creation of a sports museum.

While not stating a figure for the cost of the renovations, Sports Minister Olivia Grange confirmed that the plans had been sent to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) for funding. There are also plans for the renovation of the Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium. Additionally, she said that plans for the sports museum are currently with PIMSEC with an estimated cost to be announced pending its approval.

“There are certain requirements that the ministry has to do to get the final sign-off. We have to have a marketing plan. We have to finalise all the details in terms of the buildout of the facility and until all that is done and PIMSEC is satisfied, it’s difficult at this time to mention a figure,” Grange said.

The last Estimates of Expenditure for the Management and Maintenance of National Sporting Facilities at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service was J$397.3 million, up from a previously approved estimate of almost J$374 million.

daniel.wheeler@gleanerjm.com