Marion Jones Sporting Complex soon to be opened, but only to tertiary level sports

Herman Longsworth

When the Marion Jones Sporting Complex does open, whether in 2013 or 2014, there will be new rules put in place. One of those new rules is that the facility will only be used for tertiary level sports. All secondary level sports will have to be played elsewhere. And if you want to be a spectator sitting in that top-shelf grandstand, you’re going to pay a premium price for that panoramic view.

Herman Longsworth, Minister of Sports

“We won’t be able to open it to the public for all and sundry to use. This is a national facility. It is going to be for tertiary level sports. We must create other areas where secondary level sports can be played. So it is going to be very costly to manage, to run this facility. It’s not going to be cheap. It may have to be subsidized a little, but that is something that we’re working on. We’re trying to come up with a management structure for the facility that will include for maintenance, etc. My own personal view is that it ought to be put in the hands of a private sector entity. I would want to see that happen because government can’t afford to maintain this thing. So I would want to see it go into…even if it is a joint venture between government and a private sector entity that the private sector entity would be responsible for the marketing and the actual management of the facility. But it’s going to cost, it’s going to cost. There is no part of the world that you go to tertiary level sports that you don’t pay premium dollar to go and see it. So people need to appreciate that it will cost. This is a major investment we’re making as is. That has to be recouped at some point.”