Landmarks in history are testimonies to character and value, and moreover when they embody the aspirations of generations.

Nine Cunningham Avenue, where the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA) conducts its business at Olympic Manor, will be transformed into a sport corporate hub where members will gather for conversations on sport, its development and impact.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the construction of the new headquarters of the apex governing body for sport will take place on July 5 under the theme ‘Creating History, Building for the Next Generation’.

A partnership between the JOA and the Pan American Sports Organisation (PASO), the overall cost of the project is $120 million, of which PASO has provided $60 million and the JOA matching funds from internal resources.

President of the JOA, Christopher Samuda, said: “The headquarters will be foremost a family home for members, but, importantly, it will be a centre where it will be business unusual and where the collective vision will drive a unified mission for sport and sport development.”

It will retain its name ‘Olympic Manor’, but will be “a functional and earning asset with facilities which will provide a menu of services for our members as their needs grow and the sporting landscape evolves,” stated Ryan Foster, secretary general and chief executive officer of the JOA.

The new corporate headquarters will be a members’ manor with multi-media conference rooms, a health food store and restaurant, a sport apparel store of Olympic gear and souvenirs, an Olympic museum, a chapel and multi-purpose meeting rooms for use by member associations and federations.

It will be “a game changer in member engagement and the business of sport,” Foster said.

President of PASO, Neven Illic, in endorsing what will be a landmark achievement by the JOA, stated that the new headquarters “will be more than just rooms. It will be part of the great story of sport and a great legacy and Pan Am Sport is happy with this project and we are working closely with the Jamaica Olympic Association.”

The Pan American president, in commending the vision of the JOA and expressing a commitment to continue to build a stronger relationship with Jamaica’s national governing sport association, also stated that “it is a great honour for Pan Am Sport for the JOA is important to Pan Am Sport and for us it is key to be close to the JOA and Jamaica for we can learn from you how to develop sport and how to be great in sport”.

Olympic Manor will be environmentally friendly and energy-efficient, both of which align with the perspective of the treasurer of the JOA, Nichole Case, who maintains that “the asset will pay for the cost of the services and amenities while giving dividends to members and capital to the Olympic Movement”.

It will be “mission accomplished when the building is finished”, said JOA director and general secretary of the Jamaica Fencing Federation, Laurel Smith.

“This partnership between the JOA and PASO will be groundbreaking as it is historic and an inspiration to successive generations in sport,” President Samuda declared.

The establishment of the new headquarters with the provision of various services is in keeping with the policy of the JOA to bring a corporate approach to the business of sport while remaining member-centric.