A major infrastructure upgrade project transforming Antigua and Barbuda’s Potters Playing Field into a modern multi-sport complex is progressing firmly on schedule, with full completion targeted well in advance of the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), senior government and diplomatic officials have confirmed. Key sporting amenities across the redevelopment site are set to wrap up construction by the final week of September, putting the project on track to welcome global leaders when the country hosts the high-profile international gathering in late 2026.
This week, the development site welcomed a formal progress review led by Michael Freeland, the country’s Minister of State for Tourism and Member of Parliament for St. George, alongside Karen-Mae Hill, Antigua and Barbuda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. The pair walked the entire construction zone alongside the project’s core leadership to inspect ongoing work and discuss next steps for delivery.
According to Prince Charles, lead project manager for the redevelopment, work is advancing steadily on three purpose-built hard courts designed to host basketball, netball and volleyball competitions. Each court will include shaded covered seating that can accommodate approximately 225 spectators per facility, creating a comfortable viewing space for attendees at future community and national events. Agile Courts Construction, the contracted firm leading delivery of the court amenities, is currently handling resurfacing work as well as the installation of new perimeter fencing, upgraded event lighting, and other critical supporting infrastructure across the hard court zone.
Beyond the dedicated court spaces, the redeveloped Potters Playing Field will also feature a dual-use open field calibrated for both football and cricket matches. Site crews have already completed core drainage work for the open field, and are on schedule to lay grass sod across the entire area in August, ahead of the final September completion target for sporting facilities.
Officials confirmed during the site visit that the entire multi-sport complex is projected to reach substantial completion by September 30, more than a year ahead of the 2026 CHOGM, which will bring heads of government and senior diplomatic representatives from across the Commonwealth bloc to Antigua and Barbuda between November 1 and 4, 2026. The timeline ensures the facility will be fully operational and ready to support event activities and guest engagements during the international gathering.
In addition to reviewing construction timelines, the walking tour included in-depth discussions on three key secondary priorities for the site: upgraded security protocols to protect visitors and event attendees, improved pedestrian access pathways to connect the complex to nearby neighborhoods and transportation routes, and adaptive reuse plans for existing Public Works buildings located on the property. The current structures will be renovated and repurposed to house new administrative offices for the complex and dedicated workshop spaces for maintenance and event operations, eliminating the need for new construction and reducing the project’s overall environmental footprint.