Heeding the call by the government for members of the diaspora to invest in Jamaica, a group of diasporans have embarked on a project to invest almost US$90 million in a high-end villa resort in Negril, Westmoreland. Known as High Life Resort and Spa, the US multimillion-dollar investment by Jamaicans living in the diaspora is seeking to revolutionise the tourist industry by offering a different kind of accommodation and attraction to visitors to Negril in Jamaica. Garth Vickers, chief executive officer of High Life, said the property currently houses a 10-room villa and, by 2026, investment in the project will amount to US$30 million, with a buildout of additional villas.
This is expected to rise to a total of US$86 million by the time the project is built out and fully operational. He said that, currently, there is a 10-room villa on the 30-acre property, which was purchased from a Coca-Cola heiress. It is situated in the Negril area on the border with Orange Hill.
He said that, when completed, the project will consist of 20 villas, a spa, a basketball court, tennis court, gym, a 24-hour café, two rooftop jacuzzis, and a nightclub. The project will also house a helicopter pad and four acres of cultivation. Vickers said the existing villa, consisting of 10 rooms, is fully booked through the end of this year and into early next year.
Another 10-room villa will be completed by December this year, he said. He indicated that visitors, who pay some US$2,500 per night to rent th.