President Leonel Fernandez was in Cap Cana over the weekend for the PGA Senior Tour Championship and attended a press conference during which AMResorts announced a new US$400 million development, the Gems at Cap Cana. AMResorts is the hotel division of Apple Vacations, the largest US tour operator.
At the event, John Mullen, CEO and founder of Apple Vacations, announced that AMResorts would be increasing its participation in Cap Cana, the real estate and tourism development located at the south end of Punta Cana.
Gems at Cap Cana is described as a four-resort complex consisting of the 200-suite Zoetry Gems at Cap Cana, the 350-suites Secrets Gems at Cap Cana, the 350-suite Now Gems at Cap Cana and the 200-suite Now Preferred Gems at Cap Cana.
“This is the most important project to date for AMResorts and it’s been in the works for years,” said Alex Zozaya, president of AMResorts, and son-in-law of Mullen. “Gems at Cap Cana will give American visitors who haven’t already been to the Dominican Republic a new reason to come.”
AMResorts already operates the 175-suite Secrets Sanctuary Cap Cana and the 20-room Golden Bear Lodge & Spa (Zoetry Collection brand).
The company says construction of the new properties is due to begin in June with completion set for 2012. Guests at the four resorts will share access to “The Promenade,” which will encompass more than 148,000 square feet of retail and recreational space, including a 30,677-square-foot convention center, a spa, a 20,000-square-foot casino, gourmet restaurants and bars, a retail collection, an Explorer’s Club for kids and an artists’ square.
AMResorts also operates Dreams La Romana Resort & Spa (Sunscape Casa del Mar), Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa and Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana.
Last year the company had announced the construction of the Zoetry Pearl Sands Cap Cana and Pure Secrets at Cap Cana that were due to open in late 2010.