It's official. Portmore is to get a first-class cricket ground.

Last Sunday, cricket stakeholders in Portmore and community leaders from Gregory Park participated in the groundbreaking ceremony at Hamilton Gardens to create a first-class cricket facility.

Member of Parliament for East Central St Catherine, Arnaldo Brown, is one of the main persons behind this project that will cost about $7 million when completed next year.

The New Zealand government has given C$20,000, or just about J$2 million, as start-up up capital, however, depending on the scope of work, a further J$5 million will be needed to complete the facility.

Brown took the opportunity to thank the New Zealand Embassy and Government for the gift.

Even though Sunday was the groundbreaking ceremony, posts had already been driven to fence the facility. Other work includes construction of a pitch, work on the outfield, and scoreboards.

When finished, the facility can host first-class matches. William White, the coach/manager of Hamilton Gardens Cricket Club, was upbeat about the prospects for the ground and vowed to be the main man to oversee the upkeep of the facility when it is up and running.