ST JAMES, Jamaica — Montego Bay United (MBU) will play home games in the Jamaica Premier League for the next few months until the Montego Bay Sports Complex which was badly damaged in the October 28th passage of Hurricane Melissa is refurbished.

The confirmation that “the historic and iconic Jarrett Park” would be the temporary home for MBU came via a press release on Wednesday with MBU set to host Waterhouse Football Club (FC) on December 21st in a 3:00 pm game.

The Montego Bay Sports Complex had been the home of MBU for the past two seasons but suffered catastrophic damage during the passage of the monster storm about a month ago, dumping several inches of clay soil on the football field and the 400m running track.

Yoni Epstein, chairman of MBU had estimated the cost of refurbishing the complex to get it back to its former level would be around $300 million.

In the release on Wednesday, Epstein said the move to Jarrett Park “marks a major step in restoring normalcy and community spirit across Montego Bay following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa”.

Jarrett Park, long regarded as the spiritual home of football in western Jamaica, has hosted generations of legendary matches and unforgettable moments.

The release added, “Its reopening for Premier League football symbolises not just a return to sport, but the resilience, unity and unbreakable spirit of Montego Bay and its people.”

Jarrett Park, a gift to the city of Montego Bay by the Kerr-Jarrett family, was a major sporting facility that has hosted local, national and international sporting competitions.

The facility has hosted international cricket competitions including the Shell Shield and Geddes-Grant Harrison Line cricket competition that featured regional national teams in the 1970s and 80s, international football competitions including Caribbean Football Union games as well as Concacaf Under-17 boys’ play-offs.

It was the home of the St James’ three National Premier League champions Violet Kickers, Seba United and Wadadah, as well as the home of ISSA daCosta Cup football, where finals of the daCosta Cup and Ben Francis Cup and Olivier Shield were played for decades.

— Paul Reid