Mel Gibson in real estate row over Guanacaste beach property

Costa Rica loves to brag about celebrities who vacation here, but the honeymoon appears to be over for one Pacific municipality and Hollywood actor Mel Gibson.

The “Mad Max” star bought a sprawling 500-hectare estate in Playa Barrigona between the beach destinations of Nosara and Sámara back in 2007. The actor has hosted Britney Spears and other celebrities in the luxe “Apocalypto” property.

But it’s been nearly a year since Gibson last visited Costa Rica and the star might not be back if a spat with the Municipality of Nicoya continues.

Channel 7 TV News ran a series of reports this week alleging that Barrigona administrators blocked public access to the property’s beach and violated maritime zone construction laws. A representative for the property told The Tico Times, meanwhile, that the story is “inaccurate” and “sensationalist.”

Read the full story in The Tico Times Real Estate.