PRINCIPALS of live entertainment hot spot, Kaiser’s hotel and resort in Negril are eagerly anticipating the reopening of the sector which has been shuttered since March 2020 due to the novel coronavirus.

Richard Smith is the general manager for Kaiser’s. He says plans are in place to recapture its glory days.

“With our wide space, private cliffside dining and beautiful sunset, we believe in going back to the draft board and bringing back our live entertainment, with great artistes. Having great entertainment nightly or weekly will, for sure, enhance the ambiance and provide excellent service, guests dining to music that suits the moment,” Smith told the Jamaica Observer.

In the 1980s and 1990s Kaiser’s featured performances from the likes of Marcia Griffiths, the Crown Prince of Reggae Dennis Brown, Frankie Paul, Ken Boothe, and King Yellowman.

The 25-room venue was once the hub for the annual MTV Spring Break events in the late 1990s which brought several international music celebrities into the island.

Kaiser’s first opened its doors in the late 1970s as a bar and restaurant and quickly became one of the most popular places for live entertainment. The facility changed ownership in the late 1990s, with the new owners adding rooms, a pool and Jacuzzi to cater to the needs of its customers.

After closing in 2003, it was taken over by its present owners Avino Management in 2018. After months of renovation, it was reopened in January 2019.

“Boat rides, tours, deep-sea diving, cliff side diving, dinner parties, conferences, birthday celebrations, happy hour and baby showers are what we cater to on a weekly basis. We target a wide range of clients — from locals to international visitors. We are able to reach our customers through our many social media platforms and websites,” said Smith.

The facility is also well known for its hosting of weddings, a move Smith said has helped economically.

“We run very aggressive promotions weekly. Our restaurant maintained consistent traffic and we are renowned for our Seafood Boil. Our bar and the cliffside view attract locals from all over. We made a commitment to the clients that we will always be around. We also work directly with tour bus drivers, so they can always come by with their guests.”