Academy on the move again?

[Plush]

Baddaz, I'm totally against moving the acadaemy. We already invested so much in Munro so it makes sense for us to complete it. I also like the fact that it's outside the city.
I was just speaking from a pure investment standpoint

[Mosiah]

Why yuh gi so much rc chubble?!

[Karl]

I can answer this considering I was in the same situation 4 years ago. My youth club was in the same position where a guy with a large piece of undeveloped land was going to lease it to us for $1 dollar a year. The lease was going to be for 30 years. We were free to develop what we wanted on it fields, buildings, pubs, stadium etc.,

Ths issue is even though you are getting the land virtually free the owners can pull it out from under you once you build up the property value by building your facility there. It would make no financial sense to put all the money into developing something you do not own. Fortunately for my club we had people who were knowledgeable enough to steer us away from this direction as tempting as it was.

Now if the school wanted to give the JFF the land that is one thing. Outside of that the JFF is smart to stay away from this. I would respectfully disagree and say they are being wise in this situation. They were not getting the land for free by any means. It would have been a mirage. (Balla 3:16) - T.K.

What was the financial position of your club?
...and, was the location you eventually bought most suitable for serving 30 years?

I am sure even Mosiah would agree that the JFF, in a real sense, had and still has "no money"?!
Right Mosiah?

The JFF was depending on FIFA grants to establish a 1st class facility and no doubt to subsidise operationing costs for a few years.

Besides the JFF's lease was for 99 years! Enough time to come to grips with running an academy and for the JFF to become finacially stronger. Enough time to enable a financially sound JFF to build other Academies.

Can the JFF afford the Munro Villa facilities? Is there a way to move the academy, dispose of the current facility, build new facilities, create/build/construct a more efficient -fitting more readily and easily with JFF needs and needs of our football/needs for development of our football - multi-purpose 'entity' (= academy/administrative and teaching institution, etc.) and lower costs?

If Yes, move it.
If no, keep it where it is!

btw - What is the value of the Munro Villa property? ...and, demand for such property in that area?

Could the JFF get rid of the property and realise funds that could be set against cost of purchasing new premises? ...or, along with the 99 year lease enable the construction of complete first class entity ...and provide creation of a 'fund' to assist in annual operating costs of the Academy? ...are there other alternatives on how to better serve the JFF's aims, better assist in football development and protect Jamaica's interests?

...could the JFF "twin" with an existing facility?

Where all these and other alternatives explored by the Boxhill administration? If yes, Where are the documents setting out the findings?

If the alternatives where not explored...could you blame anyone for saying "par for the course" for the Boxhill regime?

[Karl]

TK, I think the comment you made on Leases is too general and doesn't hold true in many cases. Leases are something that happens around the world and people do the samething...lease and develop.

It was a 99 year lease at $1. Can you get better than that?
You could even negotiate an extention of the orginal lease in the contract. You could also add terms that make it virtually impossible to break...such has a huge penalty.

I won't be fooled by this one....I review Leases as part of my daily job. Imagine if we could take that 22MM and invest it for 99 years.....wow, we probably could build 10 more academies

Plush: I had not gotten down to your post above...but, I was thinking the same thing as I made my reply to TK's.

Joke...TK joking and he slapped me over the head not too long ago on his Real Estate knowledge and investments!

[Mosiah]

Was this 99 year a sure thing or just speculation and chat?

[Sickko]

Even if it was 1000 years it still does not negate the fact that the location in Portmore was wrong for so many reasons and freeness does not make it right.

Putting the academy in the most densely populated areas in the entire English speaking Caribbean, also prone to crime, makes no sense at all.

It could end up costing more than the cost to build in Malvern and what I see people ignoring was the fact that the FIFA man gave the new site the thumbs up or the money would never have been released in the first place.

[Mosiah]

Sickko, allow them to run wid dis lease argument, it's one of the few they have left. The fact is, it is speculative at best.

And who says FIFA would have liked the academy being shared with institutions like GC Foster? For all we know, GC could be looking to sponge off FIFA. The same can't be said about the Munro deal where only the fields are up for negotiation.

However, if the Captain doesn't get his way with this one, the academy might be starved to death. I can't see the Captain losing this one and putting his heart and soul in it.

[Karl]

plush... point well taken... the fact, is we dont know all the terms and conditions or options associated with the proposed lease arrangment...

as you said about the investment... that would be all good if it was stated and executed as the objective for pursuing the lease arrangement... not sure, i have the confidence that any of the administrators would commit to the investment...

my primary objection is the consideration give to the location of the academy across from the portmore mall... whats with the fixation of everything being in a cluster... munro has been a fine institution for years at the same location... that location has never been an issue... why is the location now an issue with the academy...

if its not next door to the stakeholders house, its unacceptable...

I visited and immediately I wondered about costs associated with making the academy fully functional - support systems? i.e. Water, sewage disposal/garbage disposal systems, etc. - physical? - It is situated on the side of a mountain! Any outdoor training facilities needed on site? If yes - Additional costs to bring it up to speed?

...and, yes, I have thought about ease of access to all the JFF may wish to use the facility?

...and, proximity to hotels, motels houses, medical facilities, public transportation, etc?

...and, could the JFF headquarters/administrative section be moved to this facility? ...feasible?

...would it lend itself to improving efficiencies in JFF's managing of the football?

[Mosiah]

What a set of nonsense questions, posed just to make a nepotistic point! Okay, let's assume it's on the side of a mountain - what? Can it accommodate residences and training facilities...?

I visited and immediately I wondered about costs associated with making the academy fully functional - support systems? i.e. Water, sewage disposal/garbage disposal systems, etc. - physical? - It is situated on the side of a mountain! Any outdoor training facilities needed on site? If yes - Additional costs to bring it up to speed?

...and, yes, I have thought about ease of access to all the JFF may wish to use the facility?

Why on God's green earth does this facility have to have "ease of access to all the JFF"? Nonsense argument...!!!

...and, proximity to hotels, motels houses, medical facilities, public transportation, etc?

Yuh need hotels, motels? They are aplenty 20 minutes away in Treasure Beach. Knock yourself out...!

Yuh need medical facilities? Mandeville is 40 minutes away (or 2 hours is your drive with Howard McIntosh or Happy Sutherland). Karl is trying to paint a picture of desolation that just doesn't exist. In all my years of familiarity with Munro College and all its sports teams, Hampton School and Bethlehem Teachers College, there has NEVER been a time when the location has caused serious problems to any student. Each school has clinic which access to doctors in the area. And this was way before the transportation available today to Junction, Black River and Mandeville.

Public transportation? That is not even an issue. You don't need the academy located in a bus terminal, yet there is ample transportation to get around to nearby towns...

.

..and, could the JFF headquarters/administrative section be moved to this facility? ...feasible?

...would it lend itself to improving efficiencies in JFF's managing of the football?

Again, I would not want the "JFF headquarters/administrative section" to be moved to this facility. If that's the crux of the matter, then yes, move it...!

[Karl]

What a set of nonsense questions, posed just to make a nepotistic point! Okay, let's assume it's on the side of a mountain - what? Can it accommodate residences and training facilities...?

The point was: Cost to bring it up to speed vs cost to have it sited where that would not have been necessary...

...and, where expansion of the facilities would not entail (unnecessary) costs vs costs another local would not demand.

Why on God's green earth does this facility have to have "ease of access to all the JFF"? Nonsense argument...!!!

I would think that would be very important. You would like to, as far as possible, make it easy for those invited from any and all parts of the island to get to the facility?
Right?

Perhaps, it is just silly old me down in Shady Pines, who would think of accessibility?

Yuh need hotels, motels? They are aplenty 20 minutes away in Treasure Beach. Knock yourself out...!

How many rooms?

Yuh need medical facilities? Mandeville is 40 minutes away (or 2 hours is your drive with Howard McIntosh or Happy Sutherland). Karl is trying to paint a picture of desolation that just doesn't exist. In all my years of familiarity with Munro College and all its sports teams, Hampton School and Bethlehem Teachers College, there has NEVER been a time when the location has caused serious problems to any student. Each school has clinic which access to doctors in the area. And this was way before the transportation available today to Junction, Black River and Mandeville.

I do not think because we have never, as far a s I know, had a student die because of length of time taken to get to a major medical facility or a doctor's office that it would be considered prudent to await the death of even one person before making such professional health services in say 10 minute or less reach?

Public transportation? That is not even an issue. You don't need the academy located in a bus terminal, yet there is ample transportation to get around to nearby towns...

Where?
You go out to the gate and flag down a car?

Again, I would not want the "JFF headquarters/administrative section" to be moved to this facility. If that's the crux of the matter, then yes, move it...!

...and, why would you not want to have the option to reduce costs for the JFF? ...particularly when it is perpetually broke?

[Karl]

Even if it was 1000 years it still does not negate the fact that the location in Portmore was wrong for so many reasons and freeness does not make it right.

Putting the academy in the most densely populated areas in the entire English speaking Caribbean, also prone to crime, makes no sense at all.

It could end up costing more than the cost to build in Malvern and what I see people ignoring was the fact that the FIFA man gave the new site the thumbs up or the money would never have been released in the first place.

Is Cornwall in a densely populated area?

Is Shortwood College in a densely populated area?

What rot are you taking about? What has densely populated have to do with an enclosed, selfcontained area? It would not matter if it was in the middle of a Santa Cruz-like community if it was enclosed and selfcontained and was on large enough acreage...with easy and safe access!

[Karl]

Baddaz, I'm totally against moving the acadaemy. We already invested so much in Munro so it makes sense for us to complete it. I also like the fact that it's outside the city.
I was just speaking from a pure investment standpoint

So you are interested in finding out if it is cheaper/more economical/makes greater financial and administrative sense to move it? ...and, if another venue would better serve Jamaica's football and thus Jamaica?

Can't agree with you. I say let a through review be done...and, let the finds prove which is the best option- to say or to move. Once decided which is best, "just do it"!

[Mosiah]

Don't expect a point by point response, Karl. That would dignify some of the silly assumptions and statements. Take comfort in knowing that the Captain has already made the move.

Munro is probably not the best place for this academy but we can sure do better than GC Foster, what with all the traffic, congestion, crime, humidity, accessibility problems when the dons lock down the town, pollution, noise etc.

I will touch on just one of your queries - you ask how many rooms in Treasure Beach? More than GC Foster unless you are talking space in a morgue.

[Karl]

I will touch on just one of your queries - you ask how many rooms in Treasure Beach? More than GC Foster unless you are talking space in a morgue.

Treasure Beach - Munro Villa?

GC Foster and GC Foster?

Calm down and put your good points together on why the Academy must remain at Munro Villa?

I am saying it makes more sense to have it sited somewhere else. GC Foster in my mind is a great location...and, I have stated why ad nauseam!

[Assasin]

What are the arguments for moving the academy if the land deal get signed?