Janet Silvera, Senior Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

SPANISH HOTELIER AMResorts' proposal to build a 700-room resort and beach facility in Montego Freeport is to be placed under public scrutiny at a forum at the Doctor's Cave Bathing Club Conference Centre this Friday.

The resort, which is to be named Secrets Montego Bay Resort and Spa, is to be built next door to the popular Sunset Beach Resort and Spa. It is scheduled to be opened in 2008.

Under the name Seawind Key Investments Limited, AMResorts, which also plans to construct a 2,000-room resort at Florida Beach and Bush Cay in Trelawny, will outline its preliminary strategy for the development as well as an environmental brief and the draft Terms of Reference for the environmental impact assessment (EIA).

The EIA is used to identify, for mitigation, adverse ecological effects of development proposals.

In this case, the EIA will be used to compare alternatives, which could be used to realise the project, while identifying the best combination of economic and environmental costs and benefits.

Environmental scrutiny

A recent Government-commissioned survey had raised concerns about development on the North Coast, noting that in some cases public access to beaches was being seriously threatened.

Friday's forum is to be conducted by the Kingston-based company, Environmental Solutions Limited.

In March, AMResorts President Alejandro Zozaya announced that its Secrets Resorts and Spas brand would open four new resorts in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica.

The group has since closed a deal on the Montego Freeport lands which was owned by the Urban Development Corporation.

On completion the resort will be the largest property in the tourism capital.