MEETING AT RANCHO EL DORADO ON TOURISM DEVELOPEMENT ON MONDAY JULY 11, 2005

            The Club House of the Golf Course at "La Ventana del Mar" located on the sea side of Rancho El Dorado in San Felipe was the site of the meeting called "Escenario Actual Para Las Inversiones en San Felipe” (Today's Scenario for Investments in San Felipe), with: -among other dignitaries from the Federal, State and Municipal levels of Government- Secretary of Tourism Rodolfo Elizondo fand sub-secretary Francisco Madrid from Mexico City, Governor of Baja California Eugenio Elorduy and Presidente Municipal Samuel Ramos si tting in the presidium with Alejandro Moreno Sec. of Tourism for the State of Baja California, Pat Buttler from Rancho El Dorado  and Armando Ramos from San Felipe Marina Resort, representing the local Investors and developers.

            After the welcome words by State Sec. Alejandro Moreno, the first speaker was Victor Rodriguez Director of COTUCO in Mexicali who reminded us that the single most important problem for tourists wanting to visit San Felipe and other localities in Mexico, is the condition of some of the roads. Several US border cities have been developing their own little Mexican Plazas, like Old Town in San Diego, to entice people leery of going to Mexico to spend their money in the U.S. He also reminded us that in previous meetings the issue of infrastructure had been addressed and that there are studies to prove, that in the case of water, there is at present enough to satisfy three times the current demand.

            His exposition was followed by a series of presentations from four of the Developers:

• Fernando Gonzalez said the new development  “Las Magdalenas” is investing 5 million dollars in their first phase.
• Playa de Oro's Bruce Parkstrong  talked about the swimming pools, housing, restaurants, and a shopping area  already in operation at his development. Several million additional dollars are to be invested.
• Armando Ramos, President of the Association of Tourism Developers, presented the 179 hectares San Felipe Marina Resort that along with all the amenities it already has, it will add condominiums, a marina, golf course and the promise that they will invest 52 million dollars in one year.
• Jesus Olmos of Rancho El Dorado outlined the plans to add 400 houses on the Ranch and an additional 500 condominiums and 75 houses at La Ventana del mar, together with a commercial center and a 200 room hotel. They will also develop the Las Conchas del Mar condominium project on the bay between the harbor and Punta Estrella. During the next three years they will invest nearly 200 million dollars.

            Secretario Rodolfo Elizondo announced that even though the budget for the Secretary of Tourism is somewhat limited, and that there are many requests from all over the country, the federation under President Vicente Fox is very interested in the project Escalera Náutica (Nautical Ladder), thus, the coast of Baja and Sonora's Puerto Peñasco, are priorities in the agenda of the Secretary, he added: "Other wise I would have not been here twice this year already". By the way, Puerto Peñasco across from San Felipe has a noticeable advantage over us, thanks in part, to the four lane road from the port of entry in the Arizona-Sonora Border.

            Gov. Eugenio Elourdy quickly added that the road San Felipe-Puertecitos and on to Laguna Chapala which connects with the Transpeninsular road will be completely overhauled by the end of this year and that the three levels of government have agreed to build the first 30 kilometers of a four lane highway from San Felipe to Mexicali. He also had some information, advice and warnings for all, as he seemed truly concerned about some of the consequences of hasty growth. He mentioned how other tourist destinations have become so wasted from contamination of all sorts and how this must not be allowed to happen in San Felipe. He also said that parallel to the efforts for Federal support for tourism, he has been talking to the Secretario del Trabajo (Sec. of Labor) and the Social Security authorities for an extension for housing credits for the workers, and he stressed that along with the growth of the tourism trade, care should be taken so that there is decent and dignified housing for the people of San Felipe and an orderly and sustainable growth for the area. Progress in San Felipe can not be stopped he said.