Marina Papagayo would begin operating in January 2009
Source: http://www.journalcr.com
Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com
The Marina Papagayo project, which is currently under construction in Bahia Culebra in Guanacaste’s popular Gulf of Papagayo, is expected to begin operations in January of next year, according to project director Roberto Kopper.
Construction of the marina began in January 2007, with total projected capacity for 382 boats. With an investment of $15 million, developers have said this marina would offer the best facilities to be found in the region, among them government services, storage, parking, fuel stations, watercraft repair, lodging, state-of-the-art communications technology, and much more.
The project is located in the Playa Sombrero sector and covers a total area of 44 hectares, 33 of which are occupied by the marina itself. The development is part of the Gulf of Papagayo Tourism Development Project, and thus complies with the guidelines established by the Costa Rican government for development of this tourism hotspot.
It is estimated that the current construction stage is generating a total of 470 direct jobs, with 360 more jobs to be had when the marina begins operating at full swing.
A very important step in the construction process took place last week, when the floating docks for the marina arrived from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The blocks, built by ShoreMaster, were shipped to Papagayo on the M.V. Tuxpan Reef ship. ShoreMaster has also built the floating docks for the modern Long Beach, Calif. Marina, which has capacity for 1,200 boats.
Last week, the Costa Rican press was invited to the construction site to learn more about advances in the project, and even though it’s evident that much is still to be accomplished, Kopper indicated that the marina would be ready in about six months.
In addition to placing the newly arrived floating docks, work is currently being done on the building that will house immigration, customs and other services.
Developers pointed out that by January of 2009, 180 slips will be ready, plus the above-mentioned services. In the project’s second phase, 200 more slips will be added, possibly in 2010.
Access to the marina will be public, via National Route 253, which begins at the Gulf of Papagayo intersection at Guardia. The road will be rehabbed from there to the marina.
Complying with conservation guidelines
In the process of bulding the Marina Papagayo, its developers claim that they have complied with all guidelines stipulated in the master plan, which was okayed by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and the government entities charged with supervising this kind of infrastructure — including the Inter-institutional Commission on Marinas and Tourism Docks (CIMAT), the Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA), municipalities, and others.
The project has also received constant supervision from the National Museum and the National Archaeological Commission, due to the fact that there are archaeological remains in the construction area — specifically pre-Columbian stone ponds, which Indigenous cultures in the region used for fishing.
Archaeologist Silvia Salgado has been working as part of the marina project, coordinating work between Marina Papagayo and the National Archaeological Commission, not only for the rescue, conservation and “visualization” of these ponds — but also for conducting research on them and exhibiting them to the public.
Careful attention also had to be paid to environmental issues in the design, construction and operation of projects of this sort. And again, Marina Papagayo spokespeople indicate that the development has followed the country’s conservation policies very closely.
Proof of that is that the project’s master plan was approved by all government entities in charge of supervising this type of endeavor. Additionally, during the construction stage, the developer must file bimonthly reports to SETENA and CIMAT, among other entities.
The person in charge of environmental issues for Marina Papagayo is biologist Giovanni Bassey, who said the project is “harmonious with its surroundings.”
One key issue that has been on the table regarding this project is sedimentation and the impact on marine ecosystems of the marina.
“Currently, we are conducing work to control sedimentation and monitor ecosystems. “For example, we are using for the first time turbulence curtains in the water, and peripheral canals have been built to control and channel the water, thus avoiding the movement of soil. Also, buoys have been placed in areas of interest, and the Bahia Manzanillo coral reef in monitored daily along with the University of Costa Rica’s (UCR) Marine Research Center (CIMAR),” said Bassey, who added that the marina will also implement policies for using recycled waste in landscaped areas.
Bassey also indicated that those providing services to the marina must abide by environmental rules, and there are economic sanctions in place for those that disrespect such norms. In fact, he said, some have already been penalized, but the issues have been minor and no contracts have been rescinded.
A growing market
Despite the U.S. economic slowdown and the international crisis generated by high fuel and food prices, the marinas market continues to grow, and Marina Papagayo is seeking to capitalize on such behavior by becoming the best option for taking care of luxury yachts coming to Costa Rica to enjoy its natural treasures.
Daniel Eaffaldano, a world-class marina consultant, said that construction of high-end yachts continues to grow, especially boast larger than 80 feet.
For example, while in 1997 240 such yachts were built, in 2007 the number reached 940. Such figures appear to confirm the thought that the marina market is growing and that Costa Rica, which attracts visitors thanks to its biodiversity, surfing and famous sports fishing, seems to be well-position to benefit from these trends.
Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com
The Marina Papagayo project, which is currently under construction in Bahia Culebra in Guanacaste’s popular Gulf of Papagayo, is expected to begin operations in January of next year, according to project director Roberto Kopper.
Construction of the marina began in January 2007, with total projected capacity for 382 boats. With an investment of $15 million, developers have said this marina would offer the best facilities to be found in the region, among them government services, storage, parking, fuel stations, watercraft repair, lodging, state-of-the-art communications technology, and much more.
The project is located in the Playa Sombrero sector and covers a total area of 44 hectares, 33 of which are occupied by the marina itself. The development is part of the Gulf of Papagayo Tourism Development Project, and thus complies with the guidelines established by the Costa Rican government for development of this tourism hotspot.
It is estimated that the current construction stage is generating a total of 470 direct jobs, with 360 more jobs to be had when the marina begins operating at full swing.
A very important step in the construction process took place last week, when the floating docks for the marina arrived from Cape Canaveral, Fla. The blocks, built by ShoreMaster, were shipped to Papagayo on the M.V. Tuxpan Reef ship. ShoreMaster has also built the floating docks for the modern Long Beach, Calif. Marina, which has capacity for 1,200 boats.
Last week, the Costa Rican press was invited to the construction site to learn more about advances in the project, and even though it’s evident that much is still to be accomplished, Kopper indicated that the marina would be ready in about six months.
In addition to placing the newly arrived floating docks, work is currently being done on the building that will house immigration, customs and other services.
Developers pointed out that by January of 2009, 180 slips will be ready, plus the above-mentioned services. In the project’s second phase, 200 more slips will be added, possibly in 2010.
Access to the marina will be public, via National Route 253, which begins at the Gulf of Papagayo intersection at Guardia. The road will be rehabbed from there to the marina.
Complying with conservation guidelines
In the process of bulding the Marina Papagayo, its developers claim that they have complied with all guidelines stipulated in the master plan, which was okayed by the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and the government entities charged with supervising this kind of infrastructure — including the Inter-institutional Commission on Marinas and Tourism Docks (CIMAT), the Environmental Technical Secretariat (SETENA), municipalities, and others.
The project has also received constant supervision from the National Museum and the National Archaeological Commission, due to the fact that there are archaeological remains in the construction area — specifically pre-Columbian stone ponds, which Indigenous cultures in the region used for fishing.
Archaeologist Silvia Salgado has been working as part of the marina project, coordinating work between Marina Papagayo and the National Archaeological Commission, not only for the rescue, conservation and “visualization” of these ponds — but also for conducting research on them and exhibiting them to the public.
Careful attention also had to be paid to environmental issues in the design, construction and operation of projects of this sort. And again, Marina Papagayo spokespeople indicate that the development has followed the country’s conservation policies very closely.
Proof of that is that the project’s master plan was approved by all government entities in charge of supervising this type of endeavor. Additionally, during the construction stage, the developer must file bimonthly reports to SETENA and CIMAT, among other entities.
The person in charge of environmental issues for Marina Papagayo is biologist Giovanni Bassey, who said the project is “harmonious with its surroundings.”
One key issue that has been on the table regarding this project is sedimentation and the impact on marine ecosystems of the marina.
“Currently, we are conducing work to control sedimentation and monitor ecosystems. “For example, we are using for the first time turbulence curtains in the water, and peripheral canals have been built to control and channel the water, thus avoiding the movement of soil. Also, buoys have been placed in areas of interest, and the Bahia Manzanillo coral reef in monitored daily along with the University of Costa Rica’s (UCR) Marine Research Center (CIMAR),” said Bassey, who added that the marina will also implement policies for using recycled waste in landscaped areas.
Bassey also indicated that those providing services to the marina must abide by environmental rules, and there are economic sanctions in place for those that disrespect such norms. In fact, he said, some have already been penalized, but the issues have been minor and no contracts have been rescinded.
A growing market
Despite the U.S. economic slowdown and the international crisis generated by high fuel and food prices, the marinas market continues to grow, and Marina Papagayo is seeking to capitalize on such behavior by becoming the best option for taking care of luxury yachts coming to Costa Rica to enjoy its natural treasures.
Daniel Eaffaldano, a world-class marina consultant, said that construction of high-end yachts continues to grow, especially boast larger than 80 feet.
For example, while in 1997 240 such yachts were built, in 2007 the number reached 940. Such figures appear to confirm the thought that the marina market is growing and that Costa Rica, which attracts visitors thanks to its biodiversity, surfing and famous sports fishing, seems to be well-position to benefit from these trends.
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