MBU target return to Catherine Hall on December 2

MONTEGO Bay United (MBU) Chairman Yoni Epstein says the club is targeting December 2 for its return to the Montego Bay Sports Complex, when it is scheduled to host Treasure Beach FC in a Jamaica Premier League game. The complex has been out of use since October last year after the passage of Hurricane Melissa caused millions of dollars in damage. The playing field was covered in silt washed down from the Montego River, while the four floodlight towers were extensively damaged. Epstein was speaking at a press conference in Freeport to announce the signing of a memorandum of understanding between MBU and two St James-based schools, Cornwall College and Irwin High. He said work remained to be done before the club could return to Catherine Hall, where they have been playing home games at Jarrett Park since the league resumed last year. “Our intent, as I said before, is to host our first match back at the Montego Bay Sports Complex in December,” Epstein said. “Our main focus right now is on getting the grass growing at the field. I would say it’s about 80 per cent there. We added some additional seedlings last week, so we can’t really touch anything right now for the next several weeks. But based on looking at the field today, we’re about 80 per cent there.” The planned reopening is two months later than the October target announced in May, when plans for the complex’s redevelopment were unveiled by Montego Bay Multi Sports Development, the umbrella company under which MBU operates. Epstein said work on the lighting system was expected to begin in November after preparatory work on the infrastructure. “The new lighting system from Musco Lighting is in the island to be cleared this week,” he said. “So the first job is actually having the poles that have been rusting over the years cleaned up and fixed. Then in November the lights will start to be installed, tested and ready for that December night game.” He said the new system would meet the minimum FIFA standard for hosting international matches, with lighting levels expected to range between 1,000 and 1,200 lux. Epstein also said the 400m all-weather synthetic running track was scheduled to reopen in January 2028, following redevelopment work in 2027. “The track work will commence in 2027,” he said. “We’re in the midst of the procurement side now of getting all the prices and determining which partner to work with. But as I’ve always indicated, 2027 will be the year of redevelopment for the track, and that will launch in January 2028.” Epstein said MBU had spoken with about four track manufacturers but declined to name them.