5 star, 1000 room hotel to be built Barahona

[Marilyn]

Originally Posted by Chirimoya

I put some photos of Canoa's sulphur spring on my blog a couple of months ago: http://www.dr1.com/blogs/entry.php?u=Chiri&e_id=3538

Thanks for the pictures, I've passed there hundreds of time and didn't know about them. I've been to the ones near Neyba and Lago Enriquillo which are considerable larger, but the one in the picture is very small, I'm sure there must be a lot of them or at least plenty of underground springs where they can tap into and build the spas and waterfalls they mention.

Hillbilly, that amount seems pretty small even for campesinos, this is a banana rich soil and these campesinos, even if they are not rich they still make some good money from their banana fields. According to this article from Dominican Today: http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=24990 they will pay US$350,000 to 52 landowners for 180,000 sq m (aprox 286 tareas), meaning that they will each get 40,384 pesos per tarea or 407.93 per year for 99 years. It is still very little but the promise of a bright future seems to have some weight also. I just hope that these camplesinos will be relocated and given jobs at the new resort.

[aegap]

Originally Posted by Hillbilly

..with the French company for a 99 year lease on the land (shades of Hong Kong and Panama Canal!!!) ..



HB

I believe their Italian, or at least its expert geologist and president , Dr. Roberto Chertoni, is, ...

ACQUE MINERALI E TERMALI
Idrogeologia e opere di captazione - Gestione della risorsa idrica
Roberto Chetoni

Machine English version:

Translated version of http://www.acquesotterranee.com/minerali.html

Translated version of http://www.acquesotterranee.com/chetoni.html

www.comune.montecatini-terme.pt.it/servizi/gestionedocumentale/visualizzadocumento.aspx?ID=1928

Health tourism is one of the fatest growing sectors of the industry, so a 1000 rooms complex combine with other major supplementary activities (golf, conventions etc,) and with the right uniqueness and people with the right skill set can be made to work.

Canoa, DR's on Sedona, Arizona ..lol

[Chirimoya]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

Thanks for the pictures, I've passed there hundreds of time and didn't know about them. I've been to the ones near Neyba and Lago Enriquillo which are considerable larger, but the one in the picture is very small, I'm sure there must be a lot of them or at least plenty of underground springs where they can tap into and build the spas and waterfalls they mention.

When I was there the people I was with mentioned that there was one other spring, but said that although people from Canoa go there, it was on private land.

[Funnyyale26]

y todavia se sorprenden que ese HDGP vendiera esas tierras a peso de vaca muerta, cuando esta despedazando al pais dandole concesiones a los grandes hoteleros Europeos, quienes ya han acabado con el pais?

[Marilyn]

Originally Posted by Funnyyale26

y todavia se sorprenden que ese HDGP vendiera esas tierras a peso de vaca muerta, cuando esta despedazando al pais dandole concesiones a los grandes hoteleros Europeos, quienes ya han acabado con el pais?

And we all know his commission is probably 10 times larger than what he paid for all the land. Is there any way you can say no to the government when they want to buy your land? or bargain for a better price?

[Funnyyale26]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

And we all know his commission is probably 10 times larger than what he paid for all the land. Is there any way you can say no to the government when they want to buy your land? or bargain for a better price?

I am not opposed to turism, but what is needed is sustainable turism...It hurts in my heart to see my country going downhill and not be able to do anything about it.

I am also eskeptical about the proyect, are there really that many sulphur springs in this area to build such a large complex? I am thinking that maybe they're going to have to build "artificial" pools, to complement for the few that are there? I heard that there are sulphur springs in Azua an Bani as well.

[Motorcycler]

I agree with sustainable tourism. It is the way to go. Communities have to be involved with good orientation and leadership. They in the long run will understand and realize that their livelihood will depend on stewardship of these resources.

[Richard Alberto]

Originally Posted by Funnyyale26

I am not opposed to turism, but what is needed is sustainable turism...It hurts in my heart to see my country going downhill and not be able to do anything about it.

I am also eskeptical about the proyect, are there really that many sulphur springs in this area to build such a large complex? I am thinking that maybe they're going to have to build "artificial" pools, to complement for the few that are there? I heard that there are sulphur springs in Azua an Bani as well.

Just to let you know that in Paraiso there are plans to begin a eco-luxury project called the River View Villas. All sustainable, with a reforestation phase at the end of the projects completion. Everything about the project is geared toward preservation and the hope is to be a model for developers in the southwest region. There are a number of international conservation groups highly anticipating the commencement of the River View Villas in Paraiso. What is needed is strong conservation groups to highlight the model for the protection of the most diversified region of the country. Barahona to Perdenales

[suarezn]

As much as I would like to see a large project like this come to fruition in an area that badly needs investment, I think this is just another one of those schemes to get something for almost nothing. At a minimum is an exaggeration...

This is just like the artificial island, the huge amount of money that was going to be invested in Manzanillo, etc...Believe it when I see it.

[aegap]

Originally Posted by Funnyyale26

y todavia se sorprenden que ese HDGP vendiera esas tierras a peso de vaca muerta, cuando esta despedazando al pais dandole concesiones a los grandes hoteleros Europeos, quienes ya han acabado con el pais?

As you spill reflexive crap, it seems those that would be most affected by it - the locals - are actually in full support of it, ..


Bienes Nacionales y el IAD se pasaron dos años analizando con las 52 personas asentadas en la zona donde se construirá el Proyecto turístico termal Salamandra Canoa y la Marina del Cayo de Barahona, encabezado por el geólogo y experto en hidrología, Roberto Chetoni, italiano. .. en una carta enviada al presidente Leonel Fernández el 30 de mayo de 2006 se confirma el apoyo de 35 organizaciones de esa comunidad a ese proyecto, entre los que figuran el Centro Universitario Regional (Curso), el Club Rotario de Barahona, el Consejo de Desarrollo Ecoturístico de la provincia de Barahona, y la Diócesis de Barahona.
Asimismo, el Plan Estratégico, Ayuntamiento Municipal, Sociedad Ecológica, Colegio Médico Dominicano y Grupo Sur Caribe.
, la Sociedad Ecológica de Cabral, el Consorcio Ambiental Dominicano, el Codia, regional suroeste, la Universidad Católica Tecnológica (UCATEBA); el Colegio y la Asociación de Abogados, el Club de Leones, la Sociedad Ecológica y el Club de Regantes de Vicente Noble, entre otros.
..

El secretario de Turismo dijo que se van a invertir los US$500,000 del arrendamiento o concesión en la comunidad de Barahona, de los que RD$2.8 millones van para pagar las indemnizaciones, una segunda partida para pagar la deuda a Toro y una tercera parte al IAD en equipos, para ser usados por los agricultores de esa zona.
Indicó que solamente la Secretaría de Turismo va a gastar US$4 millones (más de RD$130 millones) en la regeneración de las playas de La Saladilla y la de San Rafael, en Barahona.
Considera que el desarrollo del proyecto turístico termal asimilará en gran medida el desempleo de los municipios de Cabral, Tamayo, Vicente Noble, Bahoruco, y la provincia de Barahona, y motorizará el comercio, la agricultura, y los servicios. ...

dr1 Travel News, ..

RD$25 billion tourist project
The Ministry of Tourism has announced the authorization for the construction of a five-star 1,000-room wellness resort in Canoa, Barahona. Complex will include 20 tennis courts for international championships, a 27 hole golf course, thermal spa pools, waterfalls, and a convention center. The thermal waters in Canoa reach temperatures of 38C. Tourism Minister Felix Jimenez and Roberto Chetoni, president of Sociedad Comercial Terma de la Salamandra made the announcement. Chetoni is an Italian expert on thermal spring waters. As part of the project, 2,300 acres (180,000 square meters) in Canoa, Barahona will be leased for 99 years, at the cost of US$850,000. Of this amount, the Ministry of Tourism will manage US$500,000 for infrastructure investments in the area and US$350,000 will be distributed to 52 farmers who live on lands where the hotel will be built. The lease contract still requires congressional approval. If it goes through, this will be the largest hotel in the southwest. As reported in the Listin Diario, Chetoni said that the thermal springs in Canoa would make the project the largest in the world. The project is a major achievement of the Barahona Tourism Cluster, that supported it through the approval stage. Julio Brache, president of the Cluster, said that the project will mark the turning point of the modernization of the the Barahona province.