KINGSTON, Jamaica — A major redevelopment plan for Montego Bay that involves the relocation of the Freeport is taking shape.

Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness shared aspects of the plan during his contribution to the 2026/27 Budget Debate in the House of Representatives on Thursday.

He highlighted that the Montego Freeport and its surrounding area represent one of the most strategically valuable and scenically spectacular stretches of real estate in the entire Caribbean.

“It is home to our mixed-use cargo and cruise port and the Montego Bay Freezone, and is flanked by major hotels, premium residential developments, and a forthcoming 28-storey mixed-use hotel and residential complex — a powerful signal of the confidence that investors already place in this corridor,” Holnes noted.

“At the same time, the soon to be completed Montego Bay Perimeter Road is fundamentally reshaping the economic geography of the wider region, opening new corridors and unlocking additional lands for investment that were previously out of reach,” he added. 

He told the House that, “Our plan is to gradually relocate the BPO (business process outsourcing) and light industrial activities in the Freezone to new, purpose-built facilities along the Montego Bay Perimeter Road — catalysing vibrant economic activity along that emerging corridor while providing modern, world-class, purpose-designed spaces”.

The prime minister said this will free-up prime waterfront lands on the Freeport peninsula for their highest and best use.

“We envision a landmark mixed-use development — commercial, retail, and premium residential — seamlessly woven into the urban fabric of the city, comparable in ambition and elegance to the celebrated Brickell waterfront in Miami.

“And at the very heart of this vision will be a performing arts theatre — purpose-built to showcase the full richness of Jamaican music, folklore, and culture to the world,” Holnes said.

The prime minister said the vision does not stop at Freeport. “What we are proposing is the transformation of the entire coastal corridor — from the Freeport, sweeping eastward to Harmony Beach Park, along the waterfront, and all the way to the iconic Hip Strip. This breathtaking stretch of Caribbean coastline will be unified into one seamless, world-class leisure, entertainment, and shopping corridor. The ‘top road’ will be dualised to handle traffic efficiently, while the ‘bottom road’ will be progressively pedestrianised — as will the Hip Strip itself,” said Holness.

This will result in what the prime minister described as a “walkable waterfront of rare beauty and vitality — connecting the cruise port all the way to Harmony Beach Park and Doctor’s Cave Beach and every restaurant, bar, gallery, and shop along the Hip Strip”.

To emphasise the point, he said visitors stepping off a cruise ship will be able to walk, uninterrupted, through a world-class leisure corridor, spending more, staying longer, and leaving with memories of a city that rivals the finest resort destinations.

“And most importantly, the people of Montego Bay will be able to enjoy the beauty of their own waterfront in safety and convenience and benefit in an orderly manner from the economic opportunities it will create”.

Holness said his Administration was also examining ways to enhance the Elegant Corridor between the Sangster International Airport to the Montego Bay Convention Centre. He noted that the corridor is home to some of Jamaica’s finest hotel properties, championship golf courses, the Rose Hall Great House, as well as the Convention Centre. But, he stated that the main road – which now functions essentially as a highway — cuts directly between the beachfront resorts on the sea side and the wealth of amenities on the land side.

“The Government is examining solutions to this challenge, including the development of over or underpasses at strategic points along the corridor to safely and conveniently connect the sea side and land side and to create natural sound dampening barriers to reduce the noise pollution generated by the highway,” said Holness.

-Lynford Simpson