BY HORACE HINES
Observer staff reporter—
Dr Usain Bolt (2nd right) is joined by (from left) Montego Bay businessman Mark Hart; Diedel Klover, sculptor of Bolt’s statue; CEO of KTL Gary Matalon Mayor of Montego Bay Homer Davis and Tourism Director, Donovan White in striking his signature To Di World pose following the unveiling of his statue at opening ceremony of the UBTR Montego Bay restaurant Wednesday night. (Photso: Aceion Cunningham) —
The first global Usain Bolt Tracks & Records (UBTR) restaurant is set to open in the UK later this year.
The restaurant, Casual Dining Restaurant Group (CDRG), to be operated under the umbrella of the SME Group, will be the fourth UBTR location.
The SME Group is a private holding company operating, under franchise licence, over 120 restaurants and hotels.
“Our newest franchisee is in the UK, which is the CDRG restaurant group and we are very excited about that. We can say tonight (Wednesday night) officially that we will be opening our first location outside of Jamaica, which will be in London later this year. So we are very excited about that,” KLE CEO Gary Matalon announced.
He was speaking at Wednesday night’s opening of the UBTR Montego Bay.
Meanwhile, Bolt was equally elated over breaking into the international market.
“I am very happy to have Tracks & Records here I am trying to do it all over Jamaica and, as Gary said we are trying to take it out of Jamaica and show off our culture as much as possible. Our food and everything. So it’s been a big move to go overseas and I am really excited about that as something that we have always talked about from the start, trying to make it bigger and better,” noted Bolt, adding that he always tries to promote Jamaica.
Josef Bogdanovich, CEO of Downsound Entertainment (DSE) and majority shareholder of the KLE Group, celebrated the official launch of the company’s third UBTR location.
Commenting on the continued expansion of the UBTR brand, Bogdanovich stated: “What Chris Issa did with the Usain Bolt Tracks & Records Montego Bay outside of the Spanish Court Hotel is an absolute masterpiece. It’s a great addition to the UBTR franchise and I am certain this location will enjoy tremendous success. This is exactly the type of investment we need to keep building and developing the entertainment scene in Montego Bay.”
UBTR Montego Bay is operated by prominent businessman Chris Issa and is the KLE Group’s second local franchise arrangement for the brand, increasing the chain to three locations; the other two being the flagship location in Kingston and the first franchise in Ocho Rios.
The restaurant is located in the St James Place Shopping Plaza on the famed Montego Bay Hip Strip and neighbours another property owned by Issa, the still under-construction Spanish Court Hotel.
Patrons can expect the same fun and Jamaican fusion cuisine offered by other UBTR locations, but with an added perk: an exciting breakfast menu.
The launch of this location is another milestone for the the KLE Group which hopes to grow the UBTR franchise to 15 locations globally by 2022.
Meanwhile, Montego Bay businessman Mark Hart expressed that the opening of UBTR will revitalise the once-lively strip.
“Between Christopher Issa and Usain Bolt, the strip which has been drab for too long is definitely on its way to being hip again,” Hart said.
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