The Office | |
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 Interactive map of Independence Park | |
| Full name | Independence Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Kingston, Jamaica |
| Capacity | 35,000 |
| Field size | unknown |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1962 |
| Opened | 1962 |
| Renovated | 2026–2029 (planned) |
| Expanded | 2026–2029 (planned) |
| Tenants | |
| Jamaica national football team (1962–present) | |
Independence Park is a sports and cultural complex[1] inKingston, Jamaica built for the1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. It houses a variety of sports facilities. A statue ofBob Marley marks theentrance to the site.[1] The main sports venue at the complex is theNational Stadium, a term which is colloquially used to refer to the entire complex.
The National Stadium is primarily used forfootball (being the home field of theJamaica Football Federation) but is also considered the apex ofAthletic competition in the West Indies being home to Jamaica's national athletic team for theOlympic Games andCommonwealth Games.
It was built for the1962 Central American and Caribbean Games[citation needed], for which it was the main stadium hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, track and field and cycling events. It was also home to the1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. It holds 35,000 people.[2]
On March 13, 2025, formerFC Barcelona playerLionel Messi ofInter Miami CF visited Jamaica for theCONCACAF Champions Cup againstCavalier.
Facilities include:
At theentrance to the stadium are statues of various Jamaican sprinters, includingDon Quarrie,[1]Merlene Ottey,[3]Herb McKenley[4] and, since December 2017,Usain Bolt.[5] The last three are works byBasil Watson.[6] As early as 1961, a sculpture by Jamaican sculptorAlvin Marriott, called 'The Runner', was unveiled in front of the National Stadium to honor the achievements of Herb McKenley,Leslie Laing,Arthur Wint andGeorge Rhoden.[7]
The National Aquatic Centre, also referred to as the Stadium Pool, comprises two Olympic-sized swimming pools, which were built to host the aquatic events of the1962 Central American and Caribbean Games[citation needed]. The main swimming pool was modified to accommodate the1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games which required that distances be in yards as opposed to metres[citation needed]. It currently seats 8,500[citation needed].
The National Arena was built to host the Weightlifting and Wrestling, badminton events of the1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. It holds 6,000 people and was opened in 1963.
It is now used for a wide range of activities including sports tournaments (badminton, netball, table tennis, etc.), trade exhibitions, flower shows, the National Festival song and costume competitions[8] and state funerals.[9]Bob Marley and the Wailers performed there in 1975. The 1982 Youth Consciousness Festival hostedBunny Wailer,Peter Tosh, andJimmy Cliff.
The National Indoor Sports Complex was built adjacent to the National Arena to host the2003IFNANetball World Championships. It holds 6,000 people and opened in 2002. It also is used to host events such as parties, fashion shows as well as other sports such as basketball.
These are outdoor netball courts located in between the basketball courts and Swimming Complex. It is named after Leila Robinson, the first ever netball coach and manager for theSunshine Girls. It underwent renovations at the end of 2014 into 2015 where the complex, which hosts four netball courts, received a new surface, replacing the outdated rubberized surface as well as new stands, located on the right side of the complex, which now accommodated persons with disabilities.[10] The renovations cost upward of $23 million.[10]
The Institute of Sports (INSPORTS) was established in 1978 by the Government of Jamaica to promote the development of sport at the national level. It is located beside the National Arena.[11] The building houses the Jamaica Table Tennis and Volleyball associations at the bottom floor;Netball Jamaica, Special Olympics and Basketball (JABA) associations on the second floor; and the Institute of Sports on the top floor.
These are the outdoor basketball courts located beside the Leila Robinson Netball Courts. The complex hosts two basketball courts with stands to the left of the complex.
Bob Marley's One Love Peace Concert was a large concert held on 22 April 1978 at the national stadium in Kingston, Jamaica.
The One Love Peace Concert brought together 16 of reggae’s Biggest Acts, and was dubbed by the media as a "Third World Woodstock", "Bob Marley Plays For Peace" and simply, "Bob Marley Is Back." The concert attracted more than 32,000 spectators with the proceeds of the Show going toward "Much Needed Sanitary Facilities And Housing For The Sufferahs In West Kinston." The concert kicked off at exactly 5:00 P.M. with a message from Asfa Wossen, The Crown Prince Of Ethiopia, praising the concert organizers’ efforts to restore peace in Jamaica.[citation needed]
In 2022, African starBurna Boy held the last leg of hisLove, Damini tour in the stadium alongsidePopcaan. Burna Boy became the first African artist to sell out the stadium with a total of 33,125 attendees grossing over 550,250,420 JMD. The Minister of Tourism, Hon. Edmund Bartlett lauded Nigerian International music star, Burna Boy for a stellar performance that attracted thousands of locals and visitors to the island's capital, Kingston on 18 December 2022[citation needed]
Also located in the sports park is a statue of musicianBob Marley byAlvin Marriott. It was unveiled in 1984 and replaced the Bob Marley statue by the Jamaican sculptorChristopher González at this location, which was controversial due to its slightlyabstract design. Gonzalez's work initially remained in theNational Gallery of Jamaica in Kingston before being installed in Island Village inOcho Rios on 21 October 2002.[12]
The National Arena is traditionally the site of official funerals. This is the place where Jamaica honours its dead who have distinguished themselves in life with selfless and notable service to the nation.
| Preceded by Estadio Olímpico de la UCV Caracas | Central American and Caribbean Games opening venues 1962 | Succeeded by Hiram Bithorn Stadium San Juan |
| Preceded by | British Empire and Commonwealth Games opening venues 1966 | Succeeded by |
| Stadiums | |
|---|---|
| Cricket grounds | |
| Racetracks | |
| Arenas | |
| Swimming | |
Authority control databases: Geographic |
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18°00′07″N76°46′18″W / 18.00194°N 76.77167°W /18.00194; -76.77167
