THE University of Technology (UTech) is to be given lands adjacent to the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium near Falmouth to develop its Western campus and will have access to the facility for its various sports programmes, says Sport Minister Olivia Grange.

The revelation by Grange comes almost a year after the Government turned down an initial offer by the university to acquire the under-utilised stadium to convert to its Western campus.

In March, Grange told the Observer that UTech’s plan for the facility would have been counter-productive, but she hoped it would become part of a survey to help develop the complex.

The government has plans to develop the facility to attract sports tourism and host a number of events there, with a baseball diamond and basketball facilities among the proposals.

“The existing offer that they had would kill the stadium,” Brown said of UTech’s offer back then, which included turning the boxes into classrooms and a staff room.

At the time, the government had offered UTech the nearby Hague ground, which Grange said would be more suited to the university’s plans.

Yesterday, Grange said a section of the property had now been identified for UTech’s purposes and a survey was close to completion.

“Where we have reached now is for them to actually be housed on the land where they will build their campus and they will have access to facilities, so it’s a win-win situation,” Grange told the Observer.

She added that Independence Park Limited (IPL), which also manages the Stadium complex in Kingston, will continue to manage the Trelawny facility.

“We’re putting a lot of emphasis and focus on sports tourism, so we’re going to have major international activities there… both in sports and entertainment,” she said.

Grange noted that in 2009 the Trelawny Stadium was used for more events than the National Stadium or the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC).

“UTech, once they have built their campus, will be part of that complex,” she stated.

The Multi-purpose Stadium has been a source of controversy since it was first built to the tune of $9 billion on the back of a loan from the Chinese government to stage the Opening Ceremony and warm-up matches for the Jamaica leg of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.

In July, president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Wayne Cummings, called the facility a “white elephant” and “the biggest waste of money”.

Cummings said the stadium was not properly designed to host sports other than cricket because it was not built to specification, could not hold a running track or even entice people to go there for the very purpose which it was built — to host cricket matches.

Since the end of the World Cup, the venue has hosted several football matches, as well as the latest version of the Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival and will be used to stage next year’s CONCACAF Under-17 World Cup qualifying games.

It was, however, not considered an option in May when the Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) had to move the final Test match between the West Indies and South Africa because the facility was not accredited to host international cricket matches.

Meanwhile, UTech’s president Professor Errol Morrison yesterday exuded delight following the minister’s disclosure.

“This is my happiest day at UTech,” Morrison beamed. “This is the realisation now of UTech firmly in the west.

“With the lands adjacent to the stadium we will be able to put up our faculties with full access to the stadium. That means that our sporting things will roll out and the whole future of the west looks bright.”

Morrison added that with the addition of UTech, Falmouth would become a university town, bringing with it all the advantages.

“… The whole nature of what is happening there is going to blow our minds…. give us five years and I think you will not recognise it,” he declared.

File photo showing dancers practising for the CWC 2007 Opening Ceremony at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium three years ago.