Sligoville Sports Complex constructed with Chinese government grant. - File

Shayne Fairman, STAR Writer

Now that the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport has acquired the Sligoville Sports Complex in St Catherine, the tertiary institution will be seeking funding to build dorms to accommodate its students.

G.C. Foster's president Dr Joyce Graham-Royale, told Star Sports in an exclusive interview yesterday that she believes her college's acquisition of the complex could help market Jamaica in the global sports industry as well as serve as a reference point for sporting excellence.

Arguably the region's premier sporting college, G.C. Foster is fast outgrowing its 41-acre boundary at Angels in Spanish Town. The Sligoville Sports Complex, which was built in 2007, should help to free up space limitations.

"We have been in dialogue with a couple of persons to set up funding to build accommodations. G.C. Foster is full to capacity, yet we have a lot of applicants, and we cannot accept them because we do not have the facility," Graham-Royale said.

"It's kind of difficult to turn them away because sports is the big thing now, and so we want to get into it."

The Sligoville Sports Complex is located on 76 acres of land in the hills of St Catherine and is in an area which is historically known as Jamaica's first 'free village' established for former slaves after Emancipation.

The amenities include a cricket oval with 1,200-seating capacity, and a 1,500-seating football field and basketball and netball courts. The complex has been idle for a number of years and will now become part of G.C. Foster's physical education curriculum.

"It's a huge place where the fields and the courts are fantastic and the natural terrain makes it great for training and pre-conditioning," said Graham-Royale, who was a teacher of physical education, said.

She also noted that Sligoville was 15 minutes from G.C. Foster and added that if the accommodations are not built, the students would have to remain at the Angels compound and be bused to Sligoville during the summers.

The principal reasoned that the country could run into trouble if it fails to appreciate the power and benefits of sports.

"Sports tourism is huge, and we (Jamaica) have not capitalised on it fully yet. The possibilities are endless for this venture," she said.

Graham-Royale reasoned that the complex would contribute to growth and development, as well as have a positive impact the lives of community people.