The Tribune

By TENAJH SWEETING

Tribune Sports Reporter

tsweeting@tribunemedia.net

THE impending repairs of the Thomas A Robinson National Stadium will pose a problem for upcoming sporting events, including the ninth edition of the HomeTown Lenders Bahamas Bowl.

According to Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture (MOYSC) Mario Bowleg, the stadium’s overhaul, beginning with the Western Grandstand, starts November 1 per the government’s agreement with the Chinese government.

Additionally, the renovations ahead of next year’s World Athletics Relays in May, will also interrupt the Concacaf home national soccer matches set for November 18 and November 29.

The stadium’s facelift will begin with the roof of the Western Grandstand which is expected to be replaced with a new one. With the majority of the construction being done to the Western area of the venue to start the project, that portion of the stadium will be shut down.

The national soccer games were expected to get underway next month for the respective teams at the event’s advertised venue but, now with repairs set to start, that may be in jeopardy.

“We know we are not going to be dealing with the field but definitely the Western Grandstand will be shut down and so we will probably have to see how we could use the Eastern Grandstand along with the field as most of the construction is gonna start on the Western Grandstand,” Bowleg said.

The venue’s repairs are expected to continue well into next year with the expectation of being completed by March ahead of the World Relays and CARIFTA Swimming Championships.

Despite the potential alternative of utilizing the Eastern Grandstand along with the field for events, the ninth Bahamas Bowl set for Saturday, December 16 is at risk of being canceled.

“There is a way we believe we can work it out but in some cases and some other events we will probably have to cancel it, for example the bowl game calls for ESPN so that might not look too good with a lot of construction going on at the same time,” the minister said.

The government recently allocated $10 million to bring both the national stadium, which was gifted to The Bahamas from the People’s Republic of China in 2011, and Betty Kelly-Kenning National Swim Complex up to par for next spring’s sporting events.

“We were preparing the stadiums for the World Relays and CARIFTA which would allow it to be presentable and safe enough for those games that’s where the $10 million was allocated for

“However, the Chinese government is gonna be coming so The Bahamas may not use any of its $10 million and the Chinese government may end up funding the entire repairs which is what most likely will happen

“This was a gift given to us so it is now up to them to repair the building that we felt was not up to proper standards from day one,” Bowleg said.

The 2024 CARIFTA Aquatics Championships are scheduled for April and the World Relays will get underway May 4-5.