No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveHigh Court Orders Hotel Demolition

High Court Orders Hotel Demolition

AN 11-year legal battle may be nearingan end since the Supreme Court’sCivil and Administrative Law Branch(Sala I) confirmed an order to demolishthe controversial Las Palmas Hotel insoutheast Limón province, La Naciónreported.The court’s decision – which wasmade in April but not known until thisweek – is the latest in a battle over thehotel, which originally was ordereddemolished March 5, 1993.Built in the Gandoca-ManzanilloWildlife Refuge on Punta Uva, the hotelwas originally accused by the Ministry ofNatural Resources (replaced by theMinistry of Environment and Energy –MINAE) of environmental damage andviolation of permits (TT, March 12,1993).Although given permission to build inthe refuge, the Ministry of NaturalResources said hotel owner Jan Kalinabuilt an illegal canal across the beach todrain the property, dug an illegal artificiallake, improperly disposed of sewage,extended construction beyond limits andmoved sand and planted exotic specieswithin the protected 50-meter maritimezone.The ministry ordered Kalina – aCzechoslovakian businessman – to returnthe property to its original state beforeconstruction began in 1989.Since then, the ministry’s order hasbeen postponed by a series of court battles.The Supreme Court’s recent decisionupholds the 1993 order to revoke the permitsand demolish the hotel, governmentattorney Vivian Ávila told La Nación.The Environment Ministry is nowcharged with determining how the demolitionof the 74-room, $6 million hotelwill occur, La Nación reported.

Trending Now

Costa Rican Economists Raise Alarm Over U.S. Cash Transfer Tax

In 2026, the U.S. government will impose a 1% tax on cash remittances sent from the United States to Latin America. Electronic transfers will...

Dominical to Quepos: The Costa Rican Road That Took 30 Years to Finish

The original Pan-American Highway heading south from San José once took a dramatic and daunting route. It passed through the old capital of Cartago...

What are Diatoms and how are they used in Costa Rica?

A key ally in natural pest control is now available in Costa Rica.

Costa Rica’s Tourism Faces Decline Amid Rising Crime and Costs

Costa Rica’s flagship tourism industry, long a cornerstone of our nation’s economy, is dealing with a noticeable downturn in 2025 as rising crime, health...

Panama’s Colonial Trade Route Named UNESCO World Heritage Site

The colonial route of Panama, used for centuries to transport the riches of the Americas on mules and boats and considered a forerunner of...

Costa Rica Rescues Endangered Amphibians and Turtles in Store Bust

The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ), through its Specialized Section Against Environmental Crimes, carried out an operation at a store in Vázquez de Coronado, San...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica