The president of the Dominican Olympic Committee and president of the Organizing Committee for the 2003 Pan American Games, Dr. José Joaquín Puello expressed his optimism that the government and disputing Inmobiliaria Vimenca will resolve their differences prior to the Supreme Court issuing a verdict on the subject. Inmobiliaria Vimenca has taken the government to court for not following through with procedures for the expropriation of company land. The 519,000 meters were declared of public utility on 9 June 2000 by Decree 245-00 so that the property could be used for the construction of the Pan American village. The property is located about a 10-minute drive from Las Americas International Airport. Inmobiliaria Vimenca disputes the government not making compensatory payments, and thus has hired the services of lawyer Emmanuel Esquea Guerrero, a former president of the PRD, to ban the construction of the village on the property. "The government will have to reach an agreement with the people of Vimenca," said Jose Joaquin Puello.
