It is with considerable relief that we now hear of the decision to stage the 40th CARIFTA Games at the new Montego Bay Sports Complex at Catherine Hall in Montego Bay.

The decision to go to Catherine Hall is apparently a last resort after a number of countries around the region declined the opportunity to host, mainly because of economics.

We are told that there was real danger of the meet — considered among the most important nurseries for teenaged Caribbean athletes — being cancelled for the first time in its 40-year history after St Kitts withdrew late last year.

It was on that basis, apparently, that Jamaica, the leading track and field nation in the region, felt it had no option but to offer itself.

We are told that Jamaica has hosted the CARIFTA Games six times previously with the last time being way back in 1996. Why the country with the strongest athletics culture and following should have hosted the event so few times is, for us, a bit of a mystery.

Perhaps it has had to do with the crowded athletics schedule in Jamaica. Equally, we suspect, the reality that for many years the National Stadium was the only Jamaican venue with the capacity to host such an event presented an impossible hurdle.

In that respect we believe those responsible for having pushed through the 8,000 seat Catherine Hall facility to completion will feel considerable satisfaction.

For this newspaper, the hosting of the CARIFTA Games at Catherine Hall underlines our long-held view that the development of modern sports facilities can be of significant economic benefit in terms of sports tourism.

For whatever else may happen, we can be sure that the arrival from across the region of hundreds of athletes, support staff and travelling supporters to Montego Bay and its environs over the Easter weekend will boost the tourism sector.

As indeed will the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying tournament set for later this month in Montego Bay and Florence Hall, Trelawny.

We acknowledge that given the short lead time there could well be problems in arranging an athletes’ village and affordable accommodation for everyone at the CARIFTA Games. But we do not believe that such problems are insurmountable.

We note that a Local Organising Committee, which will plan and execute aspects of the Games, is currently being formulated to include business leaders and members of the track and field community from Montego Bay. As we understand it, the cost of hosting will be borne in the main by the North American Central America and Caribbean track and field association headed by Jamaica’s Mr Neville ‘Teddy’ McCook.

The way we see it, hosting CARIFTA is a win-win for Jamaica. It’s now left to all stakeholders to work tirelessly and together to ensure success.