St. James Municipal Corporation to Lease Land for $3B SEZ Project in Catherine Hall

The St. James Municipal Corporation will be leasing land in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay, to facilitate a $3‑billion Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project by Tailwind Corporation Jamaica.

The investment, to be located at the boundary of Alice Eldemire Drive and the Catherine Hall Multipurpose Stadium, will provide 110,000 square feet of warehousing, office, and retail space, creating more than 750 jobs in the Catherine Hall area.

This was announced by the Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, during a press briefing at the Municipal Corporation on February 12.

He indicated that the move is a strategic decision aimed at driving local economic development for the city and municipality of Montego Bay.

“So, the [Corporation] is not just looking at how to operate the usual municipal commercial services that we offer but also to look, strategically, at lands that we can divest to build up more commercial space within the city of Montego Bay,” Councillor Vernon pointed out.

The SEZ will benefit from zero‑rated General Consumption Tax (GCT) on construction materials, along with exemptions on duties and rental income tax.

Mayor Vernon highlighted that the decision represents a significant step forward for Montego Bay, noting the municipality’s continuous efforts to boost development.

“We continue to look strategically at our properties to see how we can divest to enable or [how] we can cut our costs so that the Municipal Corporation can do more for our communities through these strategic decisions,” he added.

Councillor Vernon addressed concerns about possible flooding in the area, noting that Tailwind Corporation Jamaica has already assessed potential hazards and will implement the necessary mitigation measures.

“Tailwind Corporation Limited has decided to raise the property to a certain level and to build walls at a certain level that could reduce the impact of a recurrence of the flooding,” he indicated.

The Mayor acknowledged that residents in the area still have concerns, but expressed confidence that the Government has taken a comprehensive approach—moving beyond simply recognising the flooding issue to actively addressing it.

He advised that the relevant agencies have been engaged to assess the area, particularly in light of its importance beyond commercial activity.