SANTO DOMINGO.- International investors announced the development of the Playa Grande International Airport, a private air terminal that will be part of the Playa Grande Golf & Ocean Club tourist and residential project, an initiative that contemplates investments of close to one billion dollars and seeks to strengthen air access to the north coast of the Dominican Republic.
The announcement was made during an event led by President Luis Abinader, along with Tourism Minister David Collado and representatives of the investment groups developing the project, including former Major League Baseball star Alex Rodriguez, Third Point founder and CEO Dan Loeb, Discovery Land Company founder Mike Meldman, and Third Point advisor Alicia Goldstein.
The new private international airport will improve air connectivity to the Río San Juan and Cabrera area, facilitating direct access for international visitors, residence owners, and tourists who are part of the high-level tourism development being promoted in Playa Grande.
According to information provided by the Presidency of the Republic and the Ministry of Tourism, construction of the airport is expected to begin in the coming months, once the corresponding regulatory approvals are obtained.
Infrastructure to strengthen air connectivity
President Luis Abinader emphasized that the project is part of the country's strategy to continue strengthening its tourism infrastructure and attract new international investments.
The president explained that the government has worked to expedite development while respecting the current legal framework.
“The engine of growth is the private sector, and what the government must do is facilitate investments while respecting the laws and the Constitution,” the head of state said during the event.
Abinader also highlighted the sustained growth of Dominican tourism, noting that the country received almost 11.7 million visitors, a figure that positions the Dominican Republic among the top tourist destinations in Latin America.
International investment bets on the destination's potential
Former Major League Baseball player Alex Rodriguez, one of the project's investors, said that the Playa Grande tourism development has the potential to become one of the most attractive destinations in the Caribbean.
Rodríguez emphasized that the combination of private investment, tourism infrastructure, and institutional support will allow the destination to project itself internationally.
“When I learned about the project, I understood that it needed an airport to be able to fully develop, and that is what will allow us to show the world the enormous potential that this place has,” he said.
For his part, Discovery Land Company founder Mike Meldman explained that the new airport will facilitate access for thousands of families linked to the residential communities that the company develops in different parts of the world.
“We have between 18,000 and 20,000 families in our communities who want to come to Playa Grande, and this airport will allow us to open the destination to many more people,” he said.
High-end tourist and residential development
The Playa Grande Golf & Ocean Club project is located along 11 kilometers of protected Atlantic coastline in the Río San Juan area and combines a private residential club with a luxury hotel offering.
The property includes the Amanera resort, belonging to the international hotel group Aman, as well as a par 72 championship golf course originally designed by architect Robert Trent Jones Sr. and later updated by Rees Jones and Bryce Swanson.
The new investments also include the development of residences, private villas, sports facilities, restaurants and recreational experiences geared towards high-end tourism.
The architectural design and project planning will be handled by the international firm Hart Howerton, while the construction management will be developed by Gardiner & Theobald, companies with experience in luxury residential and tourist communities in various destinations around the world.
According to authorities and investors, the development of the airport and the expansion of the tourism project seek to consolidate the northern region of the country as a strategic destination within the growth of Dominican tourism.
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