Barceló hotels in the DR added new properties to its hotel inventory in the Bávaro Beach area, along the East Coast. The Spanish hotel chain will now operate the Barceló Bávaro Village (234 rooms), Barceló Villas Bávaro (230 rooms) and Barceló Ocean Village (156 rooms) in the Bávaro area. These properties are located besides the new Convention Center under construction by the Barceló hotel group in the area. The new convention center will be the largest in the Caribbean. Felix Felipe signed the agreement for Barceló and Frank Castillo for Bávaro Villages. The acquisition makes Barceló the leading hotel operator in the DR with 17 hotels on the East and South coasts. In Bávaro, the Spanish chain already operates the Barceló Bávaro Beach, Golf, Casino, Garden and Palace hotels. (16 November 2000)
