"Mission accomplished! The Cabo Rojo-Pedernales tourism project now has an environmental license." This was the announcement made yesterday by Sigmund Freund, head of the General Directorate of Public-Private Partnerships (DGAPP), regarding the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources' (MIMARENA) approval for the construction and operation of the "Pedernales Tourism Development Plan.".
In a post on his Twitter account, the official added that the measure constitutes "yet another example of the responsibility with which this great new destination is being developed.".
MIMARENA explained that before granting the environmental permit for the project, it reviewed the "Environmental Impact Study" (EIS), presented by the beneficiary of the environmental authorization, the DGAPP, identified in the document as "the promoter" of the "Pedernales Tourism Development Plan".
"The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MIMARENA) hereby states that, after having reviewed the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) submitted by the beneficiary of the Environmental Authorization, the DGAPP, represented by Mr. Sigmund Freund Mena, hereinafter 'THE PROMOTER' of the 'Pedernales Tourism Development Plan' project, and considering the recommendations made by the Technical Evaluation Committee, as stated in Act No. 01-2023 dated January 5, 2023, this Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources grants the present:Environmental License for the construction and operation of the 'Pedernales Tourism Development Plan' project," the document states.
According to the license, phase I will comprise an area of 7,000,000.00 m² and will have a construction area of 2,800,000.00 m².
The President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, will travel to Pedernales on February 5th to inaugurate the construction of the first two hotels in Cabo Rojo, one that will be operated by the Iberostar chain with 580 rooms and another by AM Resort with 530 rooms.
Strategic partner
The Pedernales Cabo Rojo Tourism Development Project is designed to be carried out in four phases over an average period of 10 years, with an estimated investment of US$2.245 billion.
The first phase of the project involves an investment of $1.3 billion for the construction of 4,700 rooms, which will reach 12,000 when the project is completed in its four phases.
The Government issued an extension until February 20 for investors interested in becoming a private partner for the tourism development of Pedernales, through which the State intends to obtain a minimum of US$570 million of private capital available for the next four years.
“Any group that is going to partner with the Dominican State must demonstrate that it has the possibility of contributing US$570 million in the next four years; without that, there can be no partner. In addition, it must have certain experiences in the development of tourist destinations, experience in the management of airports (…), in the management of commercial areas, and in hotel development,” explained Freund, during his participation in FITUR 2023.
