FALMOUTH, Trelawny — Former chief executive officer of the Development Bank of Jamaica Kingsley Thomas has described the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium as, “a sleeping giant” and not a “white elephant”.

Speaking at a business forum put on by Dr Wykeham McNeill, the People’s National Party’s (PNP’s) representative for Trelawny Northern, at the Royalton Hotel in the parish last Tuesday, a passionate Thomas argued that Kingston is paying Beijing for the construction of the stadium; therefore, it must be utilised.

“The multi-purpose stadium has to be used, it cannot sit down. It has to be used. It is US$26 million it cost to build, it cannot sit down and rotten. It cannot! It is a waste of resources and the Government is paying back money to the Chinese for that,” Thomas said.

“It was called a multi-purpose stadium because it would be made to host everything. What I am saying is a multi-purpose stadium [was] created. The only sport it could not accommodate was the American baseball, that’s the only sport that it could not have there,” added Thomas who was considered the development point man for the Administration led by then Prime Minister PJ Patterson from 1992-2006.

He recounted that it was while he was chairman of the National Housing Trust that the idea was conceived to construct the facility.

The stadium was subsequently constructed on a 76-acre parcel of land in Florence Hall, Trelawny, by the Chinese Government and hosted warm-up matches during the 2007 Cricket World Cup, as well as the opening ceremony of the championship.

According to Thomas, prior to the construction of the stadium, there were several offers from teams in the United States to lease it for practice sessions.

“Before we decided to go ahead with this thing, we got seven offers from companies in the United States to lease the stadium for their practice sessions when they are out of season,” said Thomas.

“And there is something I would like to say, the newly constructed Wembly Stadium in England, the first major event there was not football, the first major event that was held at Wembley Stadium was a concert in honour of Princess Diane. Since then you have had Diana Ross perform there to a packed house,” added Thomas as he underscored his point that the stadium can be used to host several events.

Last year Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport Olivia Grange announced that her ministry was in talks with private interests that could result in millions of US dollars be pumped into transforming the multipurpose stadium into a high-performance sports complex.

Grange made the disclosure during her contribution to the 2024/25 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

She announced that that the transformed complex would accommodate 21 sporting disciplines, host international games, awards ceremonies, and serve as training grounds.

In the meantime, Dr McNeill claimed that a year ago after he became the PNPs standard-bearer for Trelawny Northern, he suggested that arrangements be put in place for the Trelawny Football Association (TFA) knockout finals to be staged at the facility, which is said to have a capacity of 25,000.

“They [TFA members] said they have never had a final at the Trelawny Stadium. I have a history in sports so I called them and I said to them, ‘This can’t be; it’s important to use it.’ I spoke to [Dwight] Jeremiah [TFA general secretary] and he wrote a letter to the Independence Parks Limited, and one thing led to another and permission was given and for the first time a knockout of the Trelawny Football Association was held at the Trelawny Stadium last year,” McNeill said.

“The Trelawny Football Association is now housed at the stadium, free of charge. The point I am making is simply, in my mind, all the associations should be there,” he added.