Trelawny developer Keith Russel, is to see ground breaking today for the first phase of his Amaterra group’s mega hotel development in Stewart Castle, Duncans. See the location map below.
The parish of Trelawny is developing at a rapid pace and has seen several hotel developments over the past few years. Just last June, we saw the opening of Excellence Oyster Bay.
In early February, ground was broken by Prime Minister Andrew Holness for the development of the US$250 million Ocean Coral Spring Hotel by the Spanish H10 Hotel chain. This will see the construction of 1,000 new rooms will initially provide some 1,500 construction jobs and over 1,200 permanent jobs.
The Amaterra hotel will be much larger than the Ocean Coral Spring Hotel.
Amaterra Jamaica was among four companies who vied for one of three available casino licenses in 2013, under the Casino Gaming Act.
Amaterra is a fully integrated resort and residential development, developed by Keith Russell, his wife, Paula Russell; and international partners, Tourism & Leisure Development International owner, Francisco Fuentes, along with Mustangs Deria and and Guillermo Velasco, owners of Rexton Capital Partners Limited.
The aim of the casino resort projects is to diversify the Jamaican tourism product. The casino developments must be a minimum of 2,000 rooms, of which 1,000 must be built before the license will be granted.
From The Gleaner
The Amaterra Group is to break ground tomorrow for the first 1,200 rooms of a multi-billion dollar integrated resort development in Stewart Castle, Trelawny.
The integrated resort development project will be one of the largest in Jamaica. It will include the construction of 5,000 hotel rooms, an industrial park, an entertainment and shopping complex and various local amenities.
Amaterra Jamaica Ltd, is a mixed-use land development company incorporated in Jamaica in July 2002 and is the master developer for the Amaterra Resort and related companies.
Jamaican developer Keith Russell, a co-partner of Amaterra, said in an interview in December, 2013, that his project spanned 850 acres in Duncans, Trelawny, including 3.5 miles of beach, and has already secured approvals for development.
“We have sub-division approval, beach development approval, and we are approved for a 2,200 room hotel and golf course. It is the only project that has all approvals,” he said.
The mega-hotel development falls under the Casino Gaming (Application for Declaration of Approved Integrated Resort Development) Regulations 2012 and the Casino Gaming (Prescribed Games) Regulations 2012.
This is a welcome development for the parish.
I am a Falmouthian and I am very pleased with the developments in and around Falmouth.I am proposing that we take in our development renewable energy as a part of the mix.We must remember climate change due to carbon emissions. There is a new technology known as Decentralized Hydro plant,this is a Dam less concept and need no run of the river for its functioning.This technology is ready and available for proof of concept and deployment after.
I have been waiting for this a long time. This is awesome! Another Jamaican getting into the industry in a big way. Falmouth News, we are looking forward to your extensive coverage of both Amaterra and Ocean Coral Spring so those of us living abroad can stay up to date. I plan to be one of the first ones to book a room in one of those resorts. Very happy for the Falmouth area.