MoBay United bawling again

Western Bureau:After paying out approximately J$1.37 million in rental to the St James Parish Council for using the Montego Bay Sports Complex for its first five home games in 2011/12 Red Stripe National Premier League, the club's management is again calling for a reduction in the cost to use the facility.

"We believe it is unfair, especially at a time when this new team is coming on to the scene with all the added stress which clubs are feeling across the country, to be saddled with a $260,000 per match fee and an additional $150,000 for security," said MBUFC's president Orville Powell. "We have no less than 20 matches left to be played (inclusive of knock-out games) and we just cannot continue under these high costs."

When MBUFC first complained publicly about the high cost of using the sports complex, Montego Bay's mayor, Councillor Charles Sinclair, told The Gleaner that the council had offered MBUFC the best deal possible. According to him, while the club was getting the facility for under $300,000 per game, the real cost should have been $600,000 for the entire complex, or $400,000 if only the grandstand was being used.

expensive rental fee

However, in rejecting the parish council's 'best deal' assertion, Powell pointed out that the council recently charged a prominent Montego Bay high school a mere $150,000 to use the venue for a daCosta Cup game, which formed a part of a special celebration by the school.

"We are cognisant of the fact that in order for the sporting complex to be viable, certain charges have to be applied but not to the extent of bankrupting its biggest and only tenant MBUFC," said Powell. "We don't want to behave parochial but we understand that a certain high school was recently charged only $150,000 for one game and we, who have guaranteed the Council rental at least three times per month, have been subjected to these exorbitant fees."

However, with the parish council adamant that there will be no further reduction in the fees to use the facility, Powell said MBUFC might be forced to seek out an alternate venue for the second round of the Red Stripe NPL. It is against that background that he is seeking the assistance of sports minister Olivia Grange and Premier League Clubs Association boss Edward Seaga in a last ditch effort to get the council to reconsider.

In addition to the rental cost for the sports complex, Powell said additional charges such as the $200 the council is charging patrons to use the car park and the $20,000 vendors are charged for using the concessionaire booths are also hurting the club's bid to get public support.

Powell said that, initially, MBUFC had offered a partnership deal to the parish council on realising the rental demands would be great. However, he said the offer was rejected and the club given an assurance that because of their heavy usage of the facility they would be given a reasonable discount.