Dr Lorna Simmonds

WESTERN BUREAU:

Despite the economic downturn in the country, there are plans to expand the delayed Harmony Cove development to accommodate 6,000 more hotel rooms, according to the executive director of Harmonisation Limited, Dr Lorna Simmonds.

"Delay has not been danger in this case because, in fact, we have almost tripled the size of the project. Originally, it was 2,500 rooms, now it's approximately 8,500 hotel rooms," Simmonds told a Gleaner Editors' Forum at Glistening Waters, Trelawny, yesterday.

Cost of adjustment

She was careful to add that this adjustment to the proposed facility would now cost approximately US$7 billion, up from the initial US$4-billion mark that was announced at the launch of the Harmony Cove plans.

The Harmony Cove development is poised to be a premier luxury destination nestled in the parish of Trelawny. Tavistock Group, in partnership with the Jamaican Government, will develop several hotels, three world-class golf courses, a gaming lounge and other luxury amenities.

While Simmonds was not sure of the specific order in which the hotels will be built, she charged that the bulk of the proposed developments to be implemented in the first phase were to be completed within three years.

No construction before casino

However, the developers of Harmony Cove have vowed not to begin construction of a single hotel until casino gambling is accepted in Jamaican law.

"An exceptional part of the delay of this project was because we were given a conditional indication by the Government that it would give the project a casino licence," Simmonds said. "Because of the size of the investment, the persons who would be investors in the casino hotels are not going to sign unless it becomes law."

Earlier this year, Prime Minister Bruce Golding announced in his Budget presentation that his Government would be formalising casino gambling. This, however, is under the condition that the investor's development is US$1 billion and over.

sheena.gayle@gleanerjm.com