LUCEA, Hanover - Ground could be broken within the next three months for the planned US$250 million expansion of the Grand Palladium Jamaica Resorts and Spa at Point, near Lucea.

" If all goes well and we get the licence for our beach reclamation project in September negotiations will start with our contractors in October and so we should expect a ground breaking ceremony in November," explained Dimitris Kosvogiannis, the Country Manager for the Spanish hotel chain Fiesta.

He was speaking recently during a community meeting held at the Ruseas' High School in Lucea, where the company's beach development plan was presented to residents, as part of the process in obtaining a licence from Government to expand the existing beach.

Kosvogiannis stressed that the proposed multi -million project cannot proceed without modifications to the beach.

" The beach reclamation is the pivotal point for the construction of phase two so without the beach we cannot have the hotel. It is like building a track and not having the shoes to run on it," he explained.

Expressing confidence that the plan will be approved, Kosvogiannis said the Fiesta Group plans to open the second phase of the resort in November 2014.

The proposed expansion involves the construction of 245 royal suites and roughly 550 regular suites.

The facility is also expected to boast a state-of-the-art convention centre and entertainment facility as well as a golf course.

According to Kosvogiannis, some 2,000 persons are expected to get jobs during the construction period, while a further 1,200 will be permanently employed when the resort opens.

He added that Fiesta Group has already embarked on a training programme for persons who are interested in the getting jobs at the resort when the planned expansion is complete.

The Grand Palladium hotel was opened in July 2008, after a ground breaking ceremony two years earlier.

The resort which has 1,050 rooms currently employs 1,200 persons.