Jamaica is to have its first casino by 2017 if all goes according to plan. One of the first provisional Jamaican gaming licence holders hopes to begin construction during the summer.
The licence granted to Celebration Jamaica Development Limited to develop a casino in Jamaica is still provisional since under the 2010 Casino Gaming Act, developers had to first supply a proposal for an Integrated Resort Development. Once this proposal became an Approved Integrated Resort Development the casino operator could then apply to the Casino Gaming Commission for a casino gaming licence.
The closing date for applications with the casino proposal was the 30th of September of last year. Celebration Jamaica Development Limited is now waiting for the final approval and granting of the gaming licence by the Jamaican authorities.
There are many conditions attached to being granted a Jamaican gaming licence and Celebration Jamaica Development Limited appears to fulfil most of these. Applicants for what are believed to be only three gaming licences need to show that they can provide up to 2000 guest rooms and about half of these must be available for use before the casino opens to clients. It’s also necessary for the company to either own the land on which it intends to build or must prove that it has the right to develop the site. Since the Celebration Jamaica Development casino is an integrated resort it will provide hotels, entertainment, retail opportunities and restaurants in addition to the casino facilities. Since the casino developer has to fulfil strict conditions the Jamaican government will offer the successful casino developers an exclusivity clause whereby no other casino will be allowed to be constructed within a given area surrounding the licensed operator’s casino resort. This exclusivity clause may cover the operator’s casino for up to 12 years but each case will be dealt with individually.
The founder of the Celebration Jamaica Development company has stated that as soon as it is granted its full licence that it will begin construction of the gaming complex that should provide around 4 000 jobs once it is built within three years.
Jamaica is to have its first casino by 2017 if all goes according to plan. One of the first provisional Jamaican gaming licence holders hopes to begin construction during the summer.
