Jake Kheel (Vice President of Puntacana Group Foundation)

[NALs]

Here is an interesting interview done to Jake Kheel in the Dominican podcast Pesos Pesados. Many should know that he is an American and his father is one of the founders of Punta Cana including the airport (along with the Rainieri.)

It's in Spanish only.

 

[Lucifer]

Not his father, but his grandfather...

 

[MikeFisher]

Yeah, the grand children of the ones that killed the ones who lived here on the East before any street or such existed, the ones who did not agree to give away their land for peanuts or did not want to sell at all because they had been happy with the little they had since ever.
If you live here on the East long enough and meet with the people of the old families who inhabited this "East" a very long time ago, you hear interesting and the same sad stories about those "good ole times" when the Kheels and Rainieris etc had their rifle armed riders out here to assure that all will go as scheduled for the Conquerers.

 

[RDKNIGHT]

Yeah, the grand children of the ones that killed the ones who lived here on the East before any street or such existed, the ones who did not agree to give away their land for peanuts or did not want to sell at all because they had been happy with the little they had since ever.
If you live here on the East long enough and meet with the people of the old families who inhabited this "East" a very long time ago, you hear interesting and the same sad stories about those "good ole times" when the Kheels and Rainieris etc had their rifle armed riders out here to assure that all will go as scheduled for the Conquerers.

Stilll do that's the main reason for no McDonald's out east .. they are owners the Wendys, but i will say this much Punta village streets is kept very well , so as you can see its and give and take situation...

 

[NALs]

Stilll do that's the main reason for no McDonald's out east .. they are owners the Wendys, but i will say this much Punta village streets is kept very well , so as you can see its and give and take situation...

There is a Burger King around that area and it has been there for a long time. In fact, first time I went to Bávaro/Punta Cana was in 2006 and put gas on the gas station next to the Burger King when it was in Verón (then the only way to reach Punta Cana from the west.) The bulevar was still under construction covered in that white dust and several boulders meant to prevent traffic on it. Just saying...

 

[NALs]

Yeah, the grand children of the ones that killed the ones who lived here on the East before any street or such existed, the ones who did not agree to give away their land for peanuts or did not want to sell at all because they had been happy with the little they had since ever.
If you live here on the East long enough and meet with the people of the old families who inhabited this "East" a very long time ago, you hear interesting and the same sad stories about those "good ole times" when the Kheels and Rainieris etc had their rifle armed riders out here to assure that all will go as scheduled for the Conquerers.

As schedules?

You are aware there was almost nothing over there (I guess anyone can say it was very popular vacation spot for mosquitos) and Rainieri et al spent over 2 decades with a lackluster business in the middle of nowhere where the businesses needed money since it wasn't creating a single profit. It's easy to see PC now and see the success, but it wasn't always like that. No guarantees, plus hardly any support from the Dominican government (unlike Puerto Plata which had many government offered incentives and many government construction projects in support of the development of tourism.) I think most people had given up on what then seem like a pipe dream. To add salt to injury, the only thing that was bringing food to the Rainieri table was a small nightclub that he run in SD. He had to make the treck from PC to SD and back every single week, at a time when it used to take easily skme 4 to 5 hours driving from SD to PC only.

I bet similar stories will come up once Pedernales is up and running as a tourism destination. The question is, why did the people that claim they owned the land before spend so many years doing nothing with it? All the developments, the jobs, etc came not with them.

 

[MikeFisher]

As schedules?

You are aware there was almost nothing over there (I guess anyone can say it was very popular vacation spot for mosquitos) and Rainieri et al spent over 2 decades with a lackluster business in the middle of nowhere where the businesses needed money since it wasn't creating a single profit. It's easy to see PC now and see the success, but it wasn't always like that. No guarantees, plus hardly any support from the Dominican government (unlike Puerto Plata which had many government offered incentives and many government construction projects in support of the development of tourism.) I think most people had given up on what then seem like a pipe dream. To add salt to injury, the only thing that was bringing food to the Rainieri table was a small nightclub that he run in SD. He had to make the treck from PC to SD and back every single week, at a time when it used to take easily skme 4 to 5 hours driving from SD to PC only.

I bet similar stories will come up once Pedernales is up and running as a tourism destination. The question is, why did the people that claim they owned the land before spend so many years doing nothing with it? All the developments, the jobs, etc came not with them.

t the beginnig there was No Road from PC to anywhere, the old "road" was a path for horses and mules connecting the Bavaro Side with the Higuey area.
Who told you there was nothing at that time on the East?? There was no city but of course there been families living here on the far East.
They got offers to sell their land and for the ones not willing to cooperate hired guns been sent out to 'close the deal".

 

[AlterEgo]

As schedules?

You are aware there was almost nothing over there (I guess anyone can say it was very popular vacation spot for mosquitos) and Rainieri et al spent over 2 decades with a lackluster business in the middle of nowhere where the businesses needed money since it wasn't creating a single profit. It's easy to see PC now and see the success, but it wasn't always like that. No guarantees, plus hardly any support from the Dominican government (unlike Puerto Plata which had many government offered incentives and many government construction projects in support of the development of tourism.) I think most people had given up on what then seem like a pipe dream. To add salt to injury, the only thing that was bringing food to the Rainieri table was a small nightclub that he run in SD. He had to make the treck from PC to SD and back every single week, at a time when it used to take easily skme 4 to 5 hours driving from SD to PC only.

I bet similar stories will come up once Pedernales is up and running as a tourism destination. The question is, why did the people that claim they owned the land before spend so many years doing nothing with it? All the developments, the jobs, etc came not with them.

Our first drive to Punta Cana was in 2000, we left and thought nothing good was ever going to happen there. We only went because some friends of our son from Italy were there for a week. Took hours to get there, the hotel staff only spoke Italian, and I felt like we were in the middle of a jungle.

We literally never went back until we and AnnaC went there to have lunch with Chirimoya. Major changes.

 

[MikeFisher]

Our first drive to Punta Cana was in 2000, we left and thought nothing good was ever going to happen there. We only went because some friends of our son from Italy were there for a week. Took hours to get there, the hotel staff only spoke Italian, and I felt like we were in the middle of a jungle.

We literally never went back until we and AnnaC went there to have lunch with Chirimoya. Major changes.

That was the time when Bavaro still was beautiful, but the huge changes and progress already been clearly visible in 2000.
Todays it is solely good for business, nothing of the former beauty left, barely a beach portion worth a public beach visit.

 

[Lucifer]

Our first drive to Punta Cana was in 2000, we left and thought nothing good was ever going to happen there. We only went because some friends of our son from Italy were there for a week. Took hours to get there, the hotel staff only spoke Italian, and I felt like we were in the middle of a jungle.

We literally never went back until we and AnnaC went there to have lunch with Chirimoya. Major changes.

I would've loved to have been there.

 

[AlterEgo]

I would've loved to have been there.

It was memorable, Clara and Mr C/Pedro were there too.

 

[CristoRey]

That was the time when Bavaro still was beautiful, but the huge changes and progress already been clearly visible in 2000.
Todays it is solely good for business, nothing of the former beauty left, barely a beach portion worth a public beach visit.

Same is planned for Pedernales so get while the gettin is good.

 

[Lucifer]

To add salt to injury,

It was memorable, Clara and Mr C/Pedro were there too.

Even better. I once accompanied Chiri and Pedrito to Clara's place. Met up with Clara again later. I miss those days.

 

[RDKNIGHT]

There is a Burger King around that area and it has been there for a long time. In fact, first time I went to Bávaro/Punta Cana was in 2006 and put gas on the gas station next to the Burger King when it was in Verón (then the only way to reach Punta Cana from the west.) The bulevar was still under construction covered in that white dust and several boulders meant to prevent traffic on it. Just saying...

Burger King is next to Jumbo now , I think it's the only Burger king in the history of Burger kings to run out of Hamburgers,, True Story

 

[RDKNIGHT]

Same is planned for Pedernales so get while the gettin is good.

and Miches they are building like crazy

 

[MikeFisher]

Burger King is next to Jumbo now , I think it's the only Burger king in the history of Burger kings to run out of Hamburgers,, True Story

anyways, in a country with such great meats and veggies, why would somebody eat at a Burger King or Wendy's or Pizza Hut or alikes? lol.

 

[JD Jones]

and Miches they are building like crazy

I get a feeling about Pedernales. For some reason I think progress will be much slower there.

 

[MikeFisher]

I get a feeling about Pedernales. For some reason I think progress will be much slower there.

Any new spot needs it's time to grow up, but such can go quickly at times.
If Airport proximity is given and the roads between airport and hotel area are good to go, such can grow up quickly.
Some special conditions to airliens to frequent any specific airport and the crowds jump in.

 

[NALs]

t the beginnig there was No Road from PC to anywhere, the old "road" was a path for horses and mules connecting the Bavaro Side with the Higuey area.
Who told you there was nothing at that time on the East?? There was no city but of course there been families living here on the far East.
They got offers to sell their land and for the ones not willing to cooperate hired guns been sent out to 'close the deal".

That's not what I said. Plus, there was a reason there was no road there unlike now. Not even when the Taino's lived was there much of anything there and the same happen for much of time afterwards. In some ways that area was like Samaná populationwise, never a demographic center of any importance.

 

[Lucifer]

Born and raised en la Tierra Santa de Salvaleón de Higüey, I vividly recall going to Macao beach, Punta Cana, Juanillo, and Cortecito. No tourists around, and definitely no Rainieri to claim the land.