President Oscar Arias laid the symbolic first stone last Friday for a marina whose developers promise it will be among the largest, and most fruitful, in the country – bringing more than 3,000 jobs to the Quepos region on the central Pacific coast.
President Arias presided over the groundbreaking ceremony project for the planned 270-slip marina, which will also include a hotel with 100 rooms, 60 condominiums and a commercial center that will offer gas, water, electricity, telephone and Internet to passing and resident boaters.
“The richness of the central Pacific makes Quepos an excellent destination… from this moment on, all lovers of sportfishing and tourism will no longer have any doubts about visiting this quality area,” said Harold Lovelady, who started the process seven years ago.
The new Marina Pez Vela will occupy 22 hectares, granted by a concession from the Muncipality of Aguirre, on the Pacific coast, according to a statement from the development company, Mercadeo de Portafolio Immobilario S.A.
According to Sylene Campos, general manager for the company, the project will likely promote a wide array of auxiliary tourism businesses in the region.
“In this area, we’ll see the construction of commercial centers, restaurants, coffee and ice cream shops, fishing tackle shops and all kinds of tourist services,” Campos said.
The groundbreaking ceremony culminated with a donation from the development company of the now complete Quebrada Suya bridge outside Quepos, and with a commitment to train local workers in skills needed to repair the sportfishing and cruising boats that will occupy the marina slips, according to Lovelady.
“We offer these things to help promote the social development of the region,” Lovelady said.
