Supplier News
Jamaica – Harmony and Celebration secure ‘provisional orders’ for Jamaican casinos
By Phil - 13 July 2015
Jamaica’s Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips has now confirmed that Harmony Cove Limited and Celebration Jamaica Development Limited will be the country’s first two casino resorts.
The ‘provisional development orders’ allow the companies to now start construction of the first 1,000 rooms under the first phase of an eventual 2,000-room hotel before they can apply to the Casino Gaming Commission for a casino licence. This is likely to happen in mid-2016.
Harmony Cove and Celebration Jamaica were the only two contenders left in contention for the three integrated resort.
A senior government official explained: “The principle of provisional approval is that they like what you have proposed. The final grant [of Approved Integrated Resort Development Order – AIRD] will depend on performance. Until they implement the plan, approval will be provisional.”
Harmony Cove will invest US$970m in its first wave of development with 1,000 hotel rooms, restaurants and retail shops, a casino, golf courses, a luxury spa, marina facilities and convention facilities.
Harmony Cove is a partnership made up of state-owned Harmonisation Limited, with 49 per cent, and private-sector partner Tavistock Group, a global investment company, with 51 per cent. Shareholders in Harmonisation include Development Bank of Jamaica and National Housing Trust.
Celebration Jamaica Development Limited will invest US$500 in the first phase of its project in Montego Bay. Businessman Robert Trotta has conceptualised his project around the theme ‘Caribbean World Music’, Celebration Jamaica Hotel and Resort is positioned as a 365-day entertainment attraction for both tourists and locals. In addition to the hotel, the first phase of the development encompasses an entertainment complex with a multitude of facilities to include a full-service casino with table gaming and slot machines.
The integrated resort development will consist of several main buildings and structures containing 1,000 hotel rooms under phase one, with further expansion of an additional 1,000 hotel rooms under phase two.
It will also house a state of the art entertainment complex with a 75,000 square-foot casino and sports book; hotel with spectacular lobby lounge overlooking the Caribbean Sea; bars, restaurants, health club, spa and kid’s club, and retail space.
