MONTEGO BAY, St James – EAGERLY awaiting final word on how much revenue the 30th staging of Reggae Sumfest pulled into the western city, president of the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce Oral Heaven says he intends to speak with organisers and local authorities in an effort to move along talks about what other large events can be staged at Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre throughout the year.

“We need to have at least four of these activities in Montego Bay,” he said.

“Friday night’s turnout, I don’t know the numbers but it looks like one of the largest Friday nights we have had. Hotels, Airbnb, restaurants, taxi operators, everybody must be feeling the benefits. We are waiting on the figures to see exactly what the spend was like but we have gotten feedback even from people overseas who have come out — and they have spent,” the head of the umbrella group for businesses in the resort city asserted.

Sumfest is a highly anticipated event each year, and the 2019 staging pulled in about $1 billion for the country according to estimates from the tourism ministry. Sources of funds generated by locals and the 10,000 visitors who turned out for the event included accommodations and taxes. But those numbers paled in comparison to anticipated earnings of between $5 billion and $6 billion for last year’s show, which pulled in bumper crowds after the 2020 and 2021 shows were impacted by COVID-19. The 2020 show was held virtually and the year after, it was cancelled.

Happy that the show is back on track, Heaven sees Sumfest as an opportunity for both large and small enterprises, as well as individuals, to earn.

“The small business person also benefits. From Sunday, the vendors get to go out and sell them soup, some go to the street dance and all of that,” he related.

“It comes at the right time in July. In August people start shopping for back-to-school [supplies] so it creates some economic activity,” Heaven reasoned.

He is hoping this buzz can be sustained throughout the year.

“We have food, we have culture — a lot of things that we can highlight through these sorts of festivals. It pumps cash into the economy and that cash can be used for development,” Heaven maintained.

He sees Catherine Hall Entertainment Centre as a site that can facilitate these mega events.

“There are a few other events there [that can be held at Catherine Hall, though] not of the same magnitude. The main thing is Sumfest. My thinking is we need to put that property to use,” he urged.

“Instead of having it locked up for most of the year, why not have the four major events for the year there?” he suggested, insisting that one could be held every quarter.

According to Heaven, the chamber will take the lead in reviving talks aimed at maximising use of the Catherine Hall venue.

“There were talks of it one time about [Reggae Sumfest promoters DownSound’s Chief Executive Officer Joe] Bogdanovich securing the lease for it and what plans he had, but we haven’t heard anything else about that,” he stated.

Last November Bagdonovich had indicated they were close to hammering out a 30-year lease for use of the festival’s long-time venue. With that deal in hand, DownSound’s plan is to pump millions of dollars into upgrading the venue and opening it up to other event organisers throughout the year.

Heaven wants to see things moving along.

“Montego Bay is a tourism capital. We have so many things we can showcase and activities we can have — and we have the grounds for it,” he said.