Jureidini: Harbour View in no rush to host games

Harbour View general manager Clyde Jureidini says the club is in no rush to host Jamaica Premier League (JPL) matches at the Harbour View mini stadium. According to Jureidini, the club will first be seeking to upgrade its lighting and general facilities.

The club has struck an agreement with Jamaica College (JC) to host home matches at the Ashenheim Stadium and Jureidini explained that they are currently seeking in excess of $20 million to upgrade the lighting and facilities to the required standard and until then they will not be making a request to hold matches at home.

“There is not an issue,” Jureidini stated, “We have asked that we not host games until we are up to the television standard, with the lights.

“We want to change the entire system and technology, but we are not there yet as we have various things to do. With the new standards for hosting live television games we need to change and upgrade our entire lighting system and that is going to cost multimillion dollars technology.

“So until we are satisfied with the lighting and upgrading of our field and stands to the standard that we are satisfied with, we will not ask JFF for approval to host games there.”

The club has been approaching and having discussions with potential sponsors and partners both locally and internationally, but financing for the project has been hard in coming.

They had earmarked the end of this month for a return home, but with the difficulty in attracting sponsors, Jureidini said they will probably have to look to the start of next season.

“We are looking to generate a solar-oriented system to run the stadium plant, the player house, businesses and offices. We have to change that technology to run the lighting for matches or special events. But the overall system of the lighting is primary,” he insisted.

Harbour View must obtain approvals from the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) and Professional Football Jamaica Limited (PFJL) to host home matches at JC.

“We have been told they are in the process of inspecting and making that decision,” Jureidini disclosed.

Since the rebranding and restructuring of the JPL under the PFJL in 2020, Harbour View have not hosted a home game. When the league returned last year after a two-year absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic, only centralised venues were used.

However, this season a lot more games have been played at club grounds, such as Effortville Community Centre (Humble Lion), Wespow Park (Montego Bay United) and Wembley Centre of Excellence (Vere United). These venues have met the required standard.

With Harbour View being one of the premier venues traditionally, some have suggested that the club could host some day matches.

However, Jureidini insisted that is not an option.

“We could, but we have no interest in doing that. We have never catered for the day audience because it makes no sense. We wouldn’t want to market to an audience that is going to incur more losses.

“We prefer to stay with the model that we have agreed with the PFJL, to use the central venues.

“Once we think our venue is up to the standard that is presentable to the PFJL and the JFF, then we present it in that manner,” he said.

He added also that fans have been enquiring when home games will resume.

“The fans want to see games there for the last season or two, particularly this season now that we are champions again. The fans ask daily and we understand but football has moved in many ways and it takes a lot more in terms of financial infrastructure and investment. So we invite all interested parties who would want to partner with us to speak to us,” he said.

livingston.scott@gleanerjm.com