News is trickling in about the new owners of the Playa Grande golf course and development. The New York-based group promises to bring together “an exciting community of creative people, from the arts, music, business and politics.” Founding residents already include Newsweek editor Fareed Zakaria, previous Microsoft CFO and Expedia chairman Greg Maffei, fashion designer Lela Rose, Moby, Charlie Rose and Alex von Furstenberg.
Playa Grande golf course has always been considered one of the best, if not the best golf courses in the DR. Robert Trent Jones, the late golf designer, himself considered it his masterpiece. It was the last course that he designed. There was nothing out in the area, and he was able to use what otherwise would have been prime real estate property, for the golf course. Thus, several of the holes offer spectacular sea views.
The developers have plans to build on the natural beauty of the place and promise low density, lots of preserved nature, trails and open space ? “barefoot luxury.” In the immediate land use plans for the eight million square meter property is a boutique hotel that will anchor the western edge of the beach.
Playa Grande covers about 2,000 acres and is 80 kms from the Puerto Plata International Airport, near the towns of Rio San Juan and Cabrera, which have already seen a great deal of luxury home construction. The property has its share of hills and cliffs and over eight kms of exposure to the Atlantic Ocean. Playa Grande beach runs alongside the property.
The company has yet to make the announcement publicly, but company spokesmen have said it was a US$50 million purchase from the Central Bank and that they will be investing US$250 million in the development, which seeks to cater to upscale vacationers.