North Stand construction – 50 per cent cheaper – begins

News Melissa Doughty 16 Hrs Ago

The North Stand being taken down in May after the Carnival season ended. - File photo

THE North Stand – constructed annually to host major Carnival events including Panorama – will cost government almost 50 per cent less than what was paid for its erection for Carnival 2025. No exact figure was immediately provided.

In WhatsApp responses, National Carnival Commission (NCC) CEO Keiba Jacob Mottley said construction on the structure began on December 16 in preparation for Carnival 2026 and is expected to be completed by mid-January.

She said, “The cost of the North Stand construction for 2026, which includes the erection and dismantling of the structure is almost 50 per cent less than the 2025 cost, which is a significant reduction.”

Historically, there have been debate about the cost of erecting and dismantling the structure and, in 2019, no North Stand was constructed as it was reported to have cost the NCC $4 million, which created financial strain. The North Stand also was not built in 2011 as it was replaced by the Greens.

The North Stand was popularised in the 1960s and 70s, historical reports say.

In 2023, the North Stand made a return with the commission planning to find new ways to monetise the structure during the annual festival.

Asked if there would be any new uses for the structure for Carnival 2026, Mottley said, “The North Stand continues to be successfully promoted as a VIP space to clients who rent the North Park facility during the Carnival season.”

Construction of the downtown stand is expected to start in mid January, she said, when asked about other structures to be built.

Government allocated a budget of $137 million for Carnival 2026.