The issue of dedicated entertainment venues for the staging of parties and events continues to rage, with some promoters alleging on social media that their events have been targeted by the police.

Earlier this year, conceptualiser of Rebel Salute Tony Rebel said there is a need to develop more entertainment zones across the island. His comments came after a successful staging of his annual show at Grizzly’s Plantation Cove in St Ann.

“From long time we’ve been saying we need more zones that can deal with entertainment. The Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium is not so active as we would’ve hoped. I popularised Grizzly’s and now everything is going there. It’s a nice venue because it’s right beside the sea. It has developed nicely where you can park 10,000 cars and it’s where the sea, land, and air meet, but it would be good to have options,” he said in January.

The Jamaica Observer caught up with a few event organisers this week who weighed in on the issue.

Ron Burke, of Dream Entertainment, promoters of the wildly popular Dream Weekend series, said the struggle to find suitable venues to host events is not limited to local promoters.

“It’s not an issue that is localised, in other markets the issue is similar, but there are countries which have put things in place to facilitate entertainment events and the growth of entertainment events. We, on the other hand, we talk the talk… You can list the few venues that we have in Kingston. We have venues with noise complaints, but people want to come to Jamaica and party till 4 in the morning,” said Burke, referencing the restrictions of the Noise Abatement Act.

He continued: “We talk about zoning and zoning laws for events, we have put some stuff in place, but nobody has really delved deep into it and established proper venues, restrooms, parking facilities in areas where we don’t disturb anybody… We struggle, for example, to find venues for events in Negril for Dream Weekend. And we are left with limited options and when you do find a venue, the prices are exorbitant.”

Ibrahim Konteh, marketing director for Strictly 2K, said acquiring a venue to stage his events can be quite a task.

“In terms of the quality of these venues, as an event curator, trying to get a venue is one of my biggest headaches. You’re limited with options,” he disclosed, “there absolutely is a need, we’re limited in terms of the numbers of venues that we have in Jamaica. And then those venues are already targets of, and come under pressure by police, where lock-offs are concerned.”

Event director for Soca Therapy Roy Pinnock, for his part, said: “Securing suitable venues has become an increasingly pressing concern. New Kingston, which used to be a hub for event hosting, has seen a decline in available spaces. Most of the venues currently utilised by promoters come with significant limitations and numerous restrictions.” He, too, spoke to facing noise complaints and encouraged the “powers that be” to support the growth of the arts and cultural sector by implementing urban planning solutions for adequate event venues in Kingston, often considered the cultural heart of the Caribbean.

A few years ago, the popular Cross Di Wataz dancehall event came to an abrupt end at Portmore Mall after the police moved in after allegedly receiving complaints about noise by residents. Romaine “Luigi Society” Brown, well-known music producer, artiste manager, and the event’s coordinator, weighed in:

“There is definitely a need for more venues in Jamaica as currently we don’t have much, if any allotted infrastructures dedicated just towards the staging of events. Also, these venues can be erected in non-residential areas to avoid the recurrence of abrupt ending to events such as Cross Di Wataz because of noise infringements. The entertainment industry contributes massively to the country’s GDP with the providing of multiple jobs at each staging – production companies, vendors, artists, deejays, sound systems, staff, etc all earn a living from the various executions,” said Brown.

Director for I Love Soca, Ian Bourne, agreed with the need for developing dedicated entertainment venues: “This has been an ongoing conversation within the entertainment, cultural and creative industry. I do believe we need areas that are specific to entertainment events… where we are not impeding residents’ need for quiet time while we cater to the needs of our patrons. It will take even more consultation from the Government, entertainment practitioners, as well as the private sector [as sponsors of events] for us to achieve this,” Bourne opined. “We are ready to continue those conversations…”

Last year, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sports Olivia “Babsy” Grange declared the National Stadium in St Andrew as an entertainment complex, while Port Royal was declared an entertainment zone.

Earlier this year she announced that permission was granted by the minister with responsibility for lands for her ministry to take possession of the run-down Jamworld Entertainment Complex in Portmore, St Catherine.

The entertainment minister had also disclosed that several other venues were under consideration for designation as entertainment zones, among them the National Arena, Sabina Park, and Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre. She said there was also a focus to include entertainment districts that already have a reputation for having activities in multiple venues in a compact geographical area.