Prime Minister Gaston Browne says the government has committed more than EC$11 million to refurbish and equip the Deluxe property as a key venue for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November.

Speaking on his Browne and Browne radio programme, Browne said approximately EC$7 million has already been advanced toward preparing the facility, with an additional EC$4 million recently approved to outfit the building with seating, electronics and related infrastructure.

He said the upgraded venue is expected to accommodate close to 1,000 people and will be used to host the official opening ceremony of CHOGM, which is expected to draw dozens of heads of government and senior delegates from across the Commonwealth.

Browne said the availability of the Deluxe property has proven critical to Antigua and Barbuda’s hosting plans, noting that constructing a new facility of that scale within the available timeframe would not have been feasible. He said the government opted instead to repurpose and modernize the existing structure to meet international conference standards.

The prime minister added that beyond CHOGM, the facility is intended to serve as a permanent performing arts and cultural center, forming part of the government’s longer-term investment in the creative industries and national infrastructure.

He said the project reflects the country’s capacity to deliver major international events while ensuring that public investments leave a lasting legacy beyond the summit itself.