New deadline for Harmony Cove project

Barrington Flemming, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Stakeholders in Trelawny are optimistic that construction of the mega-size US$2-billion Harmony Cove casino resort project, which has missed several start-up deadlines, will begin in 2012.

Developers of the resort, the Florida-based Tavistock Group and Harmonisation Limited, which represents the Jamaican Government, are now eyeing a possible start date for early next year after a two-year delay.

Mayor of Falmouth Collen Gager said there were positive signs that the long-awaited project would get under way in the not-too-distant future, and should stimulate economic activity in the parish.

"It was only two months ago that officials from Harmonisation met with technocrats from the planning office of the (Trelawny Parish) Council, so I know that the project is still in the works," he told The Gleaner yesterday.

"The project itself will greatly enhance what is there now in terms of infrastructure. It will also be a major stimulus for job creation, as there are many unemployed persons out there. The farmers should benefit as well from the demand side, so it's something that is highly anticipated."

Very concerned

President of the Trelawny Chamber of Commerce, Richard Bourke, said the Harmony Cove project has been one of the longest anticipated investments in the parish, pre-dating the Falmouth cruise-shipping pier.

"We are very concerned that it has not got off the ground as it would prove to be a much larger driver of job creation and economic development than the cruise-shipping pier," he stated. "Cruise-ship passengers come just for a day. The hotel structure offers a larger degree of permanent jobs."

Bourke also articulated that there would be a number of positive spin-offs from the mega-investment project.

"There will be hundreds of hotel workers who need housing solutions and there would be need for services. It would spark some revival in the construction industry where construction workers would be employed for the duration of the project."

Early 2012 date

The Harmony Cove project was tentatively rescheduled to begin this year, but executive director of Harmonisation Limited, Dr Lorna Simmonds, explained that based on ongoing negotiations, they are now looking to early 2012.

"The project is definitely on track. We are still in the process of finalising some critical elements in particular financing," she said. "However, while we have been so long in gestation, we have done quite a bit of work on the environment and planning, engineering and other areas in preparation for the eventual start."

Simmonds said despite the lapse in the start-up, the project should have limited cost increase.

Questioned about the operations of a casino in the Harmony Cove project, she was optimistic that with the Casino Act being passed last year, all should be ready when the project is ready for implementation.

"The Casino Gaming Act 2010 was passed in both Houses of Parliament in March last year, so all should be in place by the time the project is completed and we are ready to operate a casino."

Tourism Minister Edmund Bartlett declined to comment on the status of the project, citing that negotiations were at a "delicate stage".

The Harmony Cove development of 4,500 hotel rooms, 500 residential units, nightclubs, golf courses and other entertainment facilities should have begun in 2009.

Harmony Cove was conceptualised early in the decade by then government technocrat Kingsley Thomas, and is to occupy 2,400 acres of prime beachfront property. The Government, as Harmonisation Limited, will retain a 49 per cent stake in the project as part of its capital in the deal.

barrington.flemming@gleanerjm.com