MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Billionaire Michael Lee-Chin has lauded the vision of businessman Garfield Virgin in the transformation of the former Mandeville Hotel, four acres of prime real estate in the heart of this south-central town. It is now the Garden Hotel.

“This place, someone had to have a vision to take it from [what] it was before. Someone had to believe in the vision, and themselves, and that person had to be a high-energy person. When that person executed [it was done] with force and speed,” Lee-Chin told business leaders during a presentation at the property on Tuesday.

He added that his mother Hyacinth Chen had expressed an interest in purchasing the property, which neighbours the family’s plaza, in 2021.