The dream of a modern national stadium and upgraded sports facilities

FRUITLESS promises and missed deadlines down the years provide fertile ground for scepticism.

Yet, we are encouraged by recent word from Sports, Culture and Entertainment Minister Ms Olivia Grange that come next year work will begin on the long-promised project to modernise the National Stadium in St Andrew.

Our reporter tells us that the minister’s plan is for the facility to be fully operational by 2028.

The stadium dates back to 1962, the year of Jamaica’s political independence from Britain. It’s indisputable that it is showing its age and in dire need of a complete redo.

For us, a source of optimism for positive change is the generous detail provided to our reporter by Ms Grange.

Says she: “… The entire stadium will be semi-covered, there will be a new royal box section, we’ll be doing a new velodrome, we’re taking out all the seats and putting an additional 10,000 seats. We’re going to have boxes that can be rented or leased, we’re going to have a state-of-the-art anti-doping facility, [and] state-of-the-art media facility.”

The minister speaks of planned banquet rooms, a sports museum, “good parking” and a widening of roads around the National Stadium.

Our reporter reminds us that in 2022 the Jamaican Government said US$76 million ($11.6 billion) would be spent on the stadium’s renovation.

Ms Grange is now reported as saying her ministry is expecting to receive the funds from the Ministry of Finance soon enough for the start of the project next year.

We hear that construction work will be phased in such a fashion that the stadium will remain open for events throughout — though with considerable restrictions.

Beyond the National Stadium, there is clear need for upgraded and new sports facilities throughout Jamaica. It is truly extraordinary that this country has done as well as it has in sport — not least track and field — despite mostly well below-par facilities.

It is shameful that the badly worn synthetic running track at the Montego Bay Sports Complex at Catherine Hall, Montego Bay is yet to be replaced despite repeated promises since 2018 — the last time it was used for recognised competition.

That means there is now no all-weather track outside of Kingston and St Andrew, and the GC Foster College in St Catherine.

In central Jamaica, the need for modern track and field and sporting facilities has been talked about for many years with nothing to show.

Nearly 20 years after it was built for the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup at a cost of more than US$30 million, the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium overlooking Falmouth is yet to be equipped with lights to facilitate night cricket. A digital scoreboard — considered important if the stadium is ever to command respect as a first-class cricket venue — is yet to be provided.

Right across Jamaica, with one or two exceptions, football playing surfaces are an absolute disgrace.

We keep talking up the reality of sport as a mega revenue-earning business globally, and the unrealised, yet huge earning potential locally.

That potential will remain just a distant dream unless we elevate our sports facilities beyond the proverbial Stone Age.