UTech pulls out of Trelawny – Falmouth’s Mayor expresses disappointment

UTech pulls out of Trelawny

The University of Technology (UTech) has pulled out of the Trelawny stadium and closing their other location at the old Baptist Manse on Market Street. Operations are being transferred to UTech’s Montego bay locations.

Falmouth’s Mayor disappointed

From: The Gleaner:

At a recent Gleaner editor’s forum in Falmouth, the mayor stated that the shutting down of the Trelawny campus was a lost opportunity to turn Falmouth into a university town.

“With all the development that is taking place (in Falmouth), UTech has now pulled out of the stadium and they are moving out of their other location on Trelawny Street, which is our biggest disappointment,” Wilkinson stated at the time. “This is a blow to our plans for Falmouth.”

In fact, in speaking to the kind of impact being a university town could have on Falmouth, the mayor said it had the potential to be much not bigger than the impact the Falmouth cruise ship pier is having on the popular seaside town.

“The Falmouth port would pale in comparison if we had a university town,” said Wilkinson. “We are hoping the university would rethink its decision to leave the town of Falmouth.”

UTech made its initial sojourn into Falmouth in November 2012 with a lofty promise to invest more than J$250 million to develop its campus at the US$30-million Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium, which has basically been a white elephant since it was constructed to host the opening ceremony of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup.

Before that 2012 offer, UTech had made a previous offer in 2010 to invest J$250 million to develop a university campus on a property adjacent to the stadium, on condition that they would be allowed to use the stadium facilities. That offer was rejected by the Government.

Interestingly, at that time, Richard Bourke, who was then the president of the Trelawny Chamber of Commerce, supported UTech’s proposal, saying that it would bring significant spin-off benefits to the parish, including boosting commerce and housing construction.