Port Royal Development??

[Assasin]

Janet Silvera, Hospitality Jamaica Coordinator
Funds are already positioned to commence the redevelopment of Port Royal, the historic seaport town, says Mike Henry, Minister of Transport and Works.
In an interview with Hospitality Jamaica, Minister Henry disclosed that the design and planning are estimated to cost US$200 million.
The minister's statement comes one week after Carnival Cruise Line executives spent three days on the island, meeting with Government and Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ) officials towards fast-tracking major investment plans for the area which was once tagged the 'wickedest city' on Earth.
"Port Royal's redevelopment and the construction of a cruise ship port are on the forefront of the ministry's agenda, and we had an excellent meeting with the Carnival Cruise Line officials last Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday," said Minister Henry. According to the minister, the entire development would fit into the tourism industry and would be linked to the Kingston waterfront and the downtown area as an international financial centre.
He added that while the cruise executives were on the island, a further Heads of Agreement, which is similar to a Memorandum of Understanding, was discussed.
pumping millions
Already involved in major deve-lopment plans at the Montego Freeport Cruise Ship Terminal, the Ocho Rios Pier, Carnival's added interest comes at a time when one of its main competitors, Royal Caribbean, has begun to pump millions of dollars into the 18th Century Commercial Capital, Falmouth, in preparation for their mega liner, Genesis of the Sea, in 2009.
Extremely pleased with the prospects, and the domino effect that Carnival's involvement could have on the capital city, Nicola Madden-Greig, chairperson of the Kingston Chapter of the Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association (JHTA), Kingston chapter, said there was a real need for an iconic attraction that can be found nowhere else in the world and Port Royal offers that and more.
With just under 2,000 hotel rooms in Kingston averaging close to 60 per cent of business and leisure clients annually, Madden-Greig envisions Port Royal as a catalyst for growth in the city.
Recognised under the 10-year master plan for sustainable tourism development, the historical town, made famous by the buccaneers and the pirate Henry Morgan, has the potential of becoming a world heritage site.
Previous plans by the Port Royal Development Company, which received a major setback after 9-11, included the redeveloping of the Palisadoes strip; creating a historical interpretive master plan to guide detailed design work and museum presentations, and the construction of a cruise ship pier and arrival centre.
historical buildings
It also included the restoration of historical buildings such as the Old Naval Hospital, and surrounding buildings - Fort Charles, Victoria & Albert Battery, the Giddy House, the Garrison Building, the Morgan's Line and Town Line, the Lime Street area, Port Royal Lagoon and Fort Rupert areas.
Recently, the Jamaica National Heritage Trust was allocated $72 million to commence the first stage to rehabilitate the Fort Charles, "essentially to restore the upper deck, lookout towers, the Grog shop and the museum" Ian Neita, executive director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, told Hospitality Jamaica.
He explained that one of the bays had been converted into an audio-visual theatre to be used for showing documentaries on the history of the seaport town.
According to him, phase two would see the re-roofing of the old naval hospital, which is to be converted into restaurants.

[Assasin]

There is no place like home
Downtown Kingston is to get not just a major multimillion-dollar facelift, but also a music and cultural village, Patrick Wong, chief executive officer of the Kingston City Centre Improvement Company (KCCIC), told Hospitality Jamaica.
The CEO, who is intimately involved in Kingston's restoration, said the 75-year-old Ward Theatre is to be used as the landmark to recapture the rich cultural heritage that the country is known for.
All live performances will take place there.
"Two of the things that put Jamaica on the world stage are our music and our athletes and that music was born in downtown Kingston, between North, Orange and King Streets."
Accordingly, there is no place to showcase this musical heritage than where it started, he said, adding that the evolution of the music from mento to ska, rocksteady to reggae and contemporary dancehall, are all to be showcased.
$700-$800m cost
Realistically, a the music and cultural village concept is estimated to cost $700 million-$800 million, Wong explained, however, emergency repairs are currently being done on the theatre and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) has approved additional funding to commence other maintenance work on the historical building.
"We are currently doing a comprehensive business plan to show the economic viability and are to do a physical plan of what the village will look like," noted KCCIC CEO.
To complement the exciting times ahead for the area, once scorned by several business operators who were forced to moved their establishments uptown and into New Kingston, Prime Minister Bruce Golding has asked the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) to do a master plan of downtown Kingston and the harbour shoreline.
redesigned market
In addition, the UDC is to refurbish the Coronation Market, Wong revealed. "Coronation Market will be completely redesigned, giving it a major overhaul of what now exists." The current structure is a heritage building that cannot be demolished.
He said the return of the railway lines, which are to be resuscitated to the tune of US$320 million by the Chinese, will play a pivotal role in what's planned for the city.
In the meantime, with funding of US$2 million from the Venezuelans, work is to commence on the Simón Bolívar Centre at the corner of Church Street and North Parade.
In the centre of the town, the renowned St William Grant Park is being refurbished to the tune of $90 million. "They are removing all the mounds, fixing the perimetre fencing and all solid walls are to be replaced with wrought iron," stated Wong, adding that the fountain is to be made operational.
According to him the private sector has shown an interest in maintaining the park.