Officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Montego Bay Multi Sports Development (MBMSD) and the St James Municipal Council for the refurbishing and expansion of the Montego Bay Sports Complex. The ceremony was held at the St James Municipal Council in Montego Bay on Tuesday.

The lease is for 25 years. It was stated that major expansion work is to be carried out in the first two to five years of the project, which could cost more than J$1 billion.

When the bid was opened in November 2024, MBMSD tabled plans valued at almost $700 million. That will be supplemented by an insurance payout of about $400 million for damage done to the facility during Hurricane Melissa in October last year.

At Tuesday’s signing, Mayor of Montego Bay Richard Vernon said the insurance money would not be given to MBMSD but rather would be used by the council to carry out repairs.

Vernon said the timeline in the MOU would allow for the return of football to the facility within six to 12 months, the construction of a swimming pool, resurfacing of the all-weather 400m running track, construction of courts for racket sports and expansion of the seating capacity, all of which he said would be given “high priority”.

He said the delay between the bid being tabled and Tuesday’s signing was partly to allow lawyers for both parties to address some “technical issues”. Vernon said, “The St James Municipal Corporation has taken a forward leaning approach to development across the municipality of St James. The latest among them is the Catherine Hall Sports Complex, and we decided that we will be very strategic in how we approach the development of sport within the municipality, and of course, Western Jamaica, the Municipal Corporation has gone the long road, we have completed the gamut of what it required to reach this stage, from conceptualisation of what we would want this partnership, which I largely look at it as, to be like to the processes associated with it. So I have to be clear that we have fulfilled all the necessary requirements pertaining to this agreement.”

Vernon said, “This will be very beneficial to the community. We will be building out the facility to fulfil the needs of entertainment, of sport, we’re modernising it. We’re expanding the opportunity for youth and community sport. We are enhancing the infrastructure. And that is why we say that it is transformational and I keep saying as well, not just for the city of Montego Bay and the municipality of St James, but for western Jamaica, this is a big historic move, and we have the confidence of the council, and we are confident in the investors that this is the right move for the city of Montego Bay.”

The mayor said the investment should lead to the return of major sporting events to the city. “We expect to see the return of the Western Relays, the return of football” as well as bids to host regional championships.

While acknowledging there was work to be done, MBMSD Chairman Johan Epstein said, “The work is just about to start and while Hurricane Melissa caused some obstruction, we still fully believe that this approach of bringing all of the different sporting fraternities together to ensure that football, not only at the Jamaica Premier League, but at all levels, are able to play at the stadium, play under the lights, having space being approved for Concacaf games,” adding that when Montego Bay United qualify for the Caribbean Cup, games can be played there.

Johan Epstein (left), chairman of the Montego Bay Multi Sports Development, watches as mayor of Montego Bay Councilor Richard Vernon signs the MOU for the 25-year lease of the Montego Bay Sports Complex at a ceremony held at the St James Municipal Council in Montego Bay on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. (Photo: Paul Reid)