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You’re so wrong about the Trelawny Multi-purpose stadium, Wayne Cummings
ON THE SPORTING EDGE
Paul A Reid
Thursday, July 15, 2010
THE broadside against the construction of the Trelawny Multi-purpose stadium by president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association's (JHTA) president, Wayne Cummings, would have been funny if his comments weren't so badly misguided.
According to Cummings the facility that was completed in 2007 in time for the start of the ICC World Cup is a "white elephant", "the biggest waste of money" and "a joke".
For his sake I hope he was misquoted, because one would hope that someone in the tourism industry would see the need for a facility of this sort in the region.
If Mr Cummings had taken the time out to do some research before going on the offensive, I am sure he would have been made to understand the need for not just this one facility but at least two or three more around the island.
Trinidad, which is maybe a third the size of Jamaica, has more world-class facilities than we do and thus is able to attract more world-class events than we can, including FIFA World Championships.
I thought by now we would have gone past the 'Sabina-Park-issufficient-for-all-cricket-needs-in-the island' talk a long time ago, and if the JHTA president understood the scope of what took place in 2007 then there is certainly no way he could hold this opinion three years later.
Obviously, when he stepped out of trying to improve the tourism product and into discussing sports and sport facilities in the island he left his comfort zone.
While I will accept that the facility was too cricket-oriented in its design and that work needed to be done especially to the field, it would be foolhardy to dismiss it as useless.
This talk of white elephants, without any serious empirical evidence to back up the claims, has gone on long enough.
I would be willing to bet that the Trelawny facility has had several days where it has earned more money than Sabina Park in the last three years.
Cummings' reported anger was misplaced and maybe he needs to be part of the solution and use his tourism connections to attract events to the facility.
There seems to be a rush to jump on the bandwagon to bash the facility without proper checks.
Just last weekend there was a site inspection by baseball interests which, if it works out, would be a massive fillip for not just the Trelawny Multipurpose stadium, but for the entire island.
Imagine the impact the introduction of baseball would have on the island and how the faltering sport of softball would also benefit.
The hope here is that given the availability of lands at the property on which the stadium is built, there will be expansions and additions as time and money will allow, and then we will see a real multi-purpose facility.
You’re so wrong about the Trelawny Multi-purpose stadium, Wayne Cummings
ON THE SPORTING EDGE
Paul A Reid
Thursday, July 15, 2010
THE broadside against the construction of the Trelawny Multi-purpose stadium by president of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association's (JHTA) president, Wayne Cummings, would have been funny if his comments weren't so badly misguided.
According to Cummings the facility that was completed in 2007 in time for the start of the ICC World Cup is a "white elephant", "the biggest waste of money" and "a joke".
For his sake I hope he was misquoted, because one would hope that someone in the tourism industry would see the need for a facility of this sort in the region.
If Mr Cummings had taken the time out to do some research before going on the offensive, I am sure he would have been made to understand the need for not just this one facility but at least two or three more around the island.
Trinidad, which is maybe a third the size of Jamaica, has more world-class facilities than we do and thus is able to attract more world-class events than we can, including FIFA World Championships.
I thought by now we would have gone past the 'Sabina-Park-issufficient-for-all-cricket-needs-in-the island' talk a long time ago, and if the JHTA president understood the scope of what took place in 2007 then there is certainly no way he could hold this opinion three years later.
Obviously, when he stepped out of trying to improve the tourism product and into discussing sports and sport facilities in the island he left his comfort zone.
While I will accept that the facility was too cricket-oriented in its design and that work needed to be done especially to the field, it would be foolhardy to dismiss it as useless.
This talk of white elephants, without any serious empirical evidence to back up the claims, has gone on long enough.
I would be willing to bet that the Trelawny facility has had several days where it has earned more money than Sabina Park in the last three years.
Cummings' reported anger was misplaced and maybe he needs to be part of the solution and use his tourism connections to attract events to the facility.
There seems to be a rush to jump on the bandwagon to bash the facility without proper checks.
Just last weekend there was a site inspection by baseball interests which, if it works out, would be a massive fillip for not just the Trelawny Multipurpose stadium, but for the entire island.
Imagine the impact the introduction of baseball would have on the island and how the faltering sport of softball would also benefit.
The hope here is that given the availability of lands at the property on which the stadium is built, there will be expansions and additions as time and money will allow, and then we will see a real multi-purpose facility.
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