The announcement of its construction was made two years ago, during the president's participation in Fitur 2022.
SANTO DOMINGO.- President Luis Abinader announced last Thursday that the construction of the Santo Domingo Convention Center, which has already completed its design phase, will be put out to tender.
Abinader announced the project two years ago while participating in the Fitur 2022 tourism fair in Spain. He stated that it would be built by the Madrid Trade Fair Institution Consortium (Ifema), contracted through the Banreservas group, with the Ministry of Tourism providing guidance for the architectural design and feasibility study.
"It's something we've lacked for a long time, and yet we haven't developed it. We're opening three large hotels this year from well-known international brands, but this convention center is the complement we hope to complete by the end of 2025," the president stated while participating in the Ministry of Tourism meeting to announce the 2023 tourism figures.
In that regard, he highlighted the expansion work in the Colonial City, to increase the number of themed attractions, open more museums and thus increase the flow of tourists to this key destination for the city of Santo Domingo.
He mentioned the recently inaugurated Cabo Rojo Port in Pedernales and said that development will continue in Miches, a destination that will be the main proposal of the Dominican Republic at the International Tourism Fair (Fitur 2024) in Madrid, Spain, as the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, has stated on several occasions.
Abinader said in this regard that the RD-Vial trust is already in the process of designing a road that will connect San Pedro de Macorís with Miches.
He indicated that, although the hotel, bar and restaurant sector was one of the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, its operation kept foreign investors in the country.
"Today, even now, is the best time to invest. We are on a path of growth, we have greater recognition from the entire international community, and we have greater control over many elements, including security," he emphasized.
The land
In July 2022, President Luis Abinader declared part of the land of the Hispaniola hotel, located on Abraham Lincoln Avenue, between Independence Avenue and Correa y Cidrón Avenue, to be of public utility.
Through decree 296-22, the Government declared "the acquisition, by the Dominican State, of the portions of land where the Hispaniola hotel is located to be used in the construction of the Santo Domingo Convention Center to be of public utility and social interest.".
The executive order stipulated that the 30 plots of land be purchased with funds from the Ministry of Tourism (Mitur) and declared it urgent that “the Dominican State take possession of the aforementioned properties” “so that the construction of the Santo Domingo Convention Center can begin immediately.”.
