Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke
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Dr. Nigel Clarke
The government is to begin accepting applications on Wednesday for casino gaming resort development orders.
Finance Minister Dr. Nigel Clarke told the House of Representatives on Tuesday that an enterprise team, led by Dr. Dana Dixon, will oversee the process and make recommendations regarding the granting of orders to applicants.
He noted that the opening of applications follows the approval of amendments to the Casino Gaming Act in July this year.
"Changes to the requirements to be designated an integrated resort development include 1,000 hotel rooms, which has reduced from the prior requirement for 2,000 rooms. A further requirement is that 500 of the constructed rooms are to be designed and implemented as luxury rooms," he revealed.
Dr. Clarke noted that the changes to the law are meant to appeal to investors and bring more foreign direct investment to Jamaica.
"As at now, Madam Speaker, there is no operating casino resort in Jamaica, despite the fact that we've have had this legislation since 2010. It is our intension with the launch of this process for Jamaica to eventually have a casino gaming resort and also it is our intension to attract hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars, to Jamaica via this means," said the Finance Minister.
Dr. Clarke said interested parties have four months within which to submit applications.
Applicants granted an order can then apply for a Casino Gaming Licence.
Under the Casino Gaming Act, an integrated resort development is one consisting of a mix of various tourism amenities and facilities in the same precinct, including hotel rooms, villas, casinos, attractions, sporting facilities, entertainment facilities, service centres and shopping centres.
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