The Jamaica government is moving to refurbish the island’s sporting facilities with the aim of attracting major international sports events.
Prime Minister, Andrew Holness said Jamaica has in the pass missed out on key sporting events but now he hopes the country could take full advantage of opportunities available.
He said the government has already started the process under the banner Jamaica 55 Legacy Projects to improve the National Stadium Complex, the Trelawny Stadium, Chedwin Park Sporting Complex in St. Catherine, Drax Hall in St. Ann and the Herb McKenley Stadium in Clarendon.
The prime minister said all these sporting facilities will see signification improvements.
Holness said there were key plans for the National Stadium and the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium, which would make them critical to Jamaica’s sports tourism product.
The use of Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium has come under the microscope since the construction for 2007 Cricket World Cup hosted in the Caribbean.
While the venue hosted the opening ceremony and warm-up matches for the event, it has not seen many sporting activities, with just a handful of women’s matches and West Indies A series being played there.
Holness was at the time speaking at the unveiling of a statute in honor of renowned sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser at Statue Park in Kingston.
Fraser is a two-time Olympic 100-meters champion and seven-time World Championship gold medalists.
