Jamaica Archives

Jamaica is on track to open its first-ever casino by late 2025 as part of the Princess Grand Jamaica resort in Hanover. The project, spearheaded by Princess Hotels and Resorts, aims to elevate the country’s tourism offerings and attract more international visitors. Located on Green Island near Negril, the Princess Grand Jamaica resort will become the largest resort complex in the country upon completion. The first phase of the resort, which includes 1,012 hotel rooms, has already opened. The second phase, set to feature the casino, will also include 1,025 additional rooms and 14 overwater villas. Delano Seiveright, senior adviser in the Ministry of Tourism, expressed optimism about the timeline, stating that the casino could open as early as mid-2025, depending on the construction schedule. The development represents a long-awaited step for Jamaica, which legalized casino gambling in 2010 but has struggled to launch operational projects. Expanded Facilities and Economic Impact Princess Hotels plans to construct a temporary road to minimize disruptions to the resort’s operations during the second phase of development. Once complete, the resort is expected to host up to 1,800 workers, accommodate 1,800 all-inclusive guests, and welcome 600 casino patrons daily. In March 2024, the Ministry of Finance granted Princess Hotels an Approved Integrated Resort Development Order (AIRD), making the company eligible to apply for a casino gaming license. This milestone sets the stage for Princess Hotels to become Jamaica’s first operational casino operator. Previous AIRD projects, such as Rose Hall in Montego Bay and Harmony Cove in Trelawny, encountered financial and logistical hurdles. While Harmony Cove remains a possibility, no timelines have been announced. Revised Regulations Spur Investment To attract investors, Jamaica revised its casino regulations, lowering the minimum investment requirement from $1.2 billion to $500 million and reducing the minimum room count from 2,000 to 1,000. These changes have made casino projects more feasible for developers, including Princess Hotels. Casino gaming is part of a broader government initiative to expand Jamaica’s tourism infrastructure. The goal is to increase hotel room capacity from 32,000 to 50,000 over the next five years. New Developments in Tourism The Princess Grand Jamaica casino is one of several new developments in Jamaica’s tourism sector. Recently, the Riu Palace Aquarelle opened in Trelawny, adding 753 rooms to the country’s capacity. Plans are also underway for a 450-room Unico Resort, set to begin construction next year. As we reported not too long ago, Jamaica’s government is preparing to reopen the bidding process for a new integrated resort license. This comes after an earlier attempt awarded one license but fell short of selecting a second. On October 1, Dr. Nigel Clarke, the Minister of Finance, confirmed that a new public invitation for license applications will soon open for the St. James zone, as reported by the Jamaica Information Service.

Jamaica

Princess Grand Jamaica Casino Set to Open by 2025

Jamaica Plans New Integrated Resort License to Boost Tourism

Jamaica to Roll Out its CBDC After Successful 8-Month Trial

First digital Jamaican Dollar minted on Monday