It Seems Sosua DOES Have A Plan

This is not a plan Ken, this is a few private investors looking to make money.

A plan is something cohesive that involves multi-sectors of the community, from the local government, private investors to the actual community that lives and works in Sosua. This plan or anything that remotely resembles a plan DOES NOT exist for Sosua, despite what you might like to think or post.

Then again, slow progress is still progress, despite what forms it comes in

I could care less if its a private Russian backed financing or a plan by the mayor herself, I welcome the change to Sosua. I may have only moved here a year ago but I would like to see a beautification of the surrounding area as it will help stimulate the economy and increase property value. I know there are quite a few people on this board that don't want any change and would just rather leave Sosua as it is with the "working girls". I could care less if they keep working or not it's not my cup of tea and we just don't hangout really past the Britannia. Please bring in the new hotels and make the beach a little better. But please keep Big D's and the Scandinavian bar open.

Thanks B

brlatm said:

But please keep Big D's and the Scandinavian bar open.

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These are exactly the type of places they want to close.....and will close with the current plan.

ramesses said:

These are exactly the type of places they want to close.....and will close with the current plan.

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.....this is going to be the biggest loss to Sosua. Sure there are many places that are an "eyesore" on the beach but all these little places are wonderful places to hang out at and pass the day away. All gone. It is sad because this type of thing is so hard to find in the Caribbean these days with all of the generic, sterile beaches around....which Sosua beach is destined to become.

I guess since Ken mentioned my name, I am called to respond. Actually, these days I don't like to take sides or get in anyone's line of fire. I know that simply writing a post on dr1 puts me there, sadly.

Like many of you, when I first arrived here almost 8 years ago, I was drawn to Sosua's honky tonk atmosphere. No, I didn't take part- ever- in the nightlife that was offered. At first, I did go to town to sit at Britannia for happy hour and be entertained by the parade of prostitutes on the street.

As time went, and I became increasingly involved in charity work, I soon learned how sad and seedy the life of these women really is. Driving to the HIV/AIDS clinic with patients, sitting and waiting their turn and watching all the others, helping them as they suffered, watching them die, and then continuing to help feed their children is enough to take away any entertainment value that this profession had to offer.

I have read these dr1 posts over the years. Gino Valconi from Playero was deemed a ladrone who robbed his customers and would surely have to close his doors once Puerto Plata's La Sirena opened. Today, Playero is still going strong, has expanded, and is planning another satellite store.

As the park at Playa Alicia was being discussed and built, it was predicted to be a place of future danger, where Dominicans party, play their music late into the night, and destroy the surrounding condo properties. I could be wrong, but I have eaten at Waterfronts on several weekend nights since the park has been complete, and it was a quiet, well lit, safe place.

I have watched the road pavings. The increased police on the streets. The town clean-ups. The town meetings. And several other improvements. Each is met with skepticism. Yet, ever so slowly, the improvements are eventually made, despite the predictions.

I don't have a crystal ball to say whether the town is moving in the right direction or not. I cannot predict whether it will be the tourism or the prostitutes or both who are eventually wiped out.

What I can say is this. In my complex there are several owners who own not one condo, but 2 or 3 or 4 or 5 or more, with the minimum unit costing around $200,000 and the maximum at least $1.5 million. Next to us is Ocean Sands. I am told that a studio or one bedroom- not sure which- starts at $400,000. Perhaps someone can confirm this. On the other side is Hispaniola. As each building there is completed, another one begins. Prior to buying in Infiniti Blu a year and a half ago, we looked at Hispaniola. At that time, there were many units under construction that were already sold.

Who is buying all this property? Are you seeing these people on the streets of Sosua after hours?

Go to Playero on a Friday afternoon. It is packed with wealthy Dominicans who are obviously vacationing. Where are they going? My development is often filled with wealthy Dominicans on weekends. These are large business owners from Puerto Plata, Santiago, and Santo Domingo.

I am just writing what I see and know here. From my vantage point, I see no gloom and doom in Sosua. I see only opportunity. I understand and respect that many, perhaps most of you- from your vantage point- see things differently. It is just always good to see and know both sides of the coin before making judgements.

As for me, I have no judgement, no predictions. But I wish Sosua well, no matter what the future brings.

Lindsey

A 1000 Ex-pat families(esp with kids) wouldn't make up for the loss of business by the bars, restaurants and hotels, esp in terms of local employment.

Ken said:

You don't know who will close on the beach. One of the reports received on DR1 is that a few restaurants and shops will be left on the beach.

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But there are many places on the beach and most are great, who is going to decide who stays open and who has to close? I wonder how that decision is going to be made about peoples livelihood. Cash?

PeterInBrat said:

A 1000 Ex-pat families(esp with kids) wouldn't make up for the loss of business by the bars, restaurants and hotels, esp in terms of local employment.

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I would disagree if you keep a select amount of the shops, bars, restaurants open on the beach and bringing in a new hotel do you not think that these Expats with kids would be spending money down on the beach???? Sure we can all see what goes on Monday-Saturday down on the beach and the amount of people down there but at night it turns into a wasteland. Sundays are a different story as the Dominicans have that day off and my wife counted 22 buses parked on Hwy 5 as we headed to drop me off at the airport 2 weeks ago.

Now I am assuming that the major amounts of the people on those buses are bringing in coolers or just going to their favorite little bar splitting a cerveza within in themselves and getting the plato de dia for what 150RD???

Now you put 1000 expats with kids who crave chicken nuggets and fries 24/7 (I know I have a 15 and a 10 yr old) and mom and dad are constantly shelling out 400RD at every turn and kicking it on the beach ordering another cuba libre as little Johnny and Jane frolic in the water. Nighttime comes around and now with the clean up atmosphere you have more booze being bought down on the beach and more meals being served with the catch of the day or whatever.

I see it as a Stimulus package to Sosua and it's surrounding area, some just see it as a "Hope and Change".

brlatm said:

Now you put 1000 expats with kids who crave chicken nuggets and fries 24/7 (I know I have a 15 and a 10 yr old) and mom and dad are constantly shelling out 400RD at every turn and kicking it on the beach ordering another cuba libre as little Johnny and Jane frolic in the water. Nighttime comes around and now with the clean up atmosphere you have more booze being bought down on the beach and more meals being served with the catch of the day or whatever.

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Great, bring America to the DR, a McDonalds would be great, because we don't want it to be too Dominican. So night come and the beach starts hopping....how are they going to control this turning into another PC situation...put guards at all entrances to the beach and only allow non Dominicans in?

ramesses said:

Great, bring America to the DR, a McDonalds would be great, because we don't want it to be too Dominican. So night come and the beach starts hopping....how are they going to control this turning into another PC situation...put guards at all entrances to the beach and only allow non Dominicans in?

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I never said bring America to Sosua in my post go back and please reread. I was using the chicken nuggets as an example heck make it any food it doesn't matter. I sure don't want a McDonalds down there on the beach I think you missed the point of my post. And why would you want to limit the beach to just Expats? I was using them as an example since a previous poster mentioned them. I like hanging out with the Dominicans on the beach and my kids usually find other kids to go play with I would never discriminate against anyone to enjoy something. Not sure I really follow you on the PC reference though.

I have lost something along the way. I read dr1 all the time and other Sosua news sources. Can someone please help me with...
What are the facts about a new beach hotel?
Who knows the details about the Russians investing in Sosua?
The beach venders actually getting titles? When many villas and condos lack titles because the process is very time consuming.
I just trying to understand what we really know, and I am not trying to be confrontational.

drescape24 said:

I have lost something along the way. I read dr1 all the time and other Sosua news sources. Can someone please help me with...
What are the facts about a new beach hotel?
Who knows the details about the Russians investing in Sosua?
The beach venders actually getting titles? When many villas and condos lack titles because the process is very time consuming.
I just trying to understand what we really know, and I am not trying to be confrontational.

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Very good questions. I think very little is actually known. I am guilty of reading things that are posted on this site....most of which have no sources available, just someone in the "know".....and reacting to them. I need to stop this on my part. In other words, believe it when I see it.

I wish I was more like Lindsey!

As much as I would NOT like to see a grand tourist hotel with shops put on Sosua beach, we all knew that it would be done sooner or later.

Of course a shift would take place to get the family tourist here. But I believe that most of Sosua would prosper and employment would be for the better.

Kids love to have daddy and mommy spend money on things that adults don't usually buy. Hats, shirts, cool flip flops, neat jewelry, cute little carved animals, new CD... etc. Kids are ALWAYS hungry. Daughter to mom... "let's get our hair and nails done.". Can WE go to Monkey Jungle? I want this and that and go here and there. I need to get that for ???? back home.

So the kids have worn mom and dad out. They need a baby-sitter for the night so they can have some fun. Perhaps they want to hire a nanny for a day?

I see nothing but an employment opportunity in just about all family areas. The laundry alone for a family of 4 here for a week employs how many people? Taxi's will be in full demand. Playero would be packed. Mid to upper end home/apt/hotel rentals BACK in demand. Real estate moving again.

I just hope that they have a GOOD plan with some building restrictions/use, land use and infrastructure built into it.

I COULD be a win-win for the majority of people.

ramesses said:

.....this is going to be the biggest loss to Sosua. Sure there are many places that are an "eyesore" on the beach but all these little places are wonderful places to hang out at and pass the day away. All gone. It is sad because this type of thing is so hard to find in the Caribbean these days with all of the generic, sterile beaches around....which Sosua beach is destined to become.

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I have to ask. All the beach places, no matter how nice or how long they have been their. Do they OWN the land with all paper work in order? Do they have a RENTAL contract WITH on legal owners of the land? Have they been paying rent to the legal owners?

Let the beach place owners answer, they are the ones that have the answers.