New York – October 19, 2026 -- Sandals Resorts is investing US$200 million to transform three Jamaican resorts closed after Hurricane Melissa, with the first reopening scheduled for November 18, Executive Chairman Adam Stewart said as he received the 2026 International Achievement Award from the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ).
Sandals sets staggered reopening dates for three Jamaican properties
Sandals South Coast is scheduled to reopen on November 18. Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Caribbean Cay follow on December 18. All three closed in the wake of the storm and are being reimagined with new accommodations, redesigned pools and expanded dining concepts.
Company keeps 100% of Jamaican staff on payroll during closures
While the resorts remained closed, Stewart and Sandals pledged to keep all Jamaican team members on payroll with benefits intact. The company also committed more than US$5 million to direct team member recovery support. The Sandals Foundation mobilized relief efforts for storm-affected communities across Jamaica.
Stewart cites 20,000-strong workforce, 97% Caribbean-born
Stewart received the award at the AFJ's annual Hummingbird Gala on October 16 at The Plaza Hotel in New York. He traced the company to 1981, when his late father started a hotel company with 99 rooms beside an airport in Montego Bay. Stewart said the organization now employs more than 20,000 team members, 97 percent of them born in the Caribbean.
The gala, one of the final major events at The Plaza ahead of its reported four-year closure, featured remarks from Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. Actress Sheryl Lee Ralph received the AFJ's International Humanitarian Award. The event raises funds for AFJ programs in education, healthcare and economic development across Jamaica.
Stewart founded Sandals Corporate University in 2012
The university expands Caribbean team members' access to professional certifications and degree programs. Stewart also serves as President of the Sandals Foundation, which runs initiatives in education, community development and environmental conservation across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.
The award comes just ahead of the first anniversary of Hurricane Melissa.