Kohler Co, the resort company owner of Whistling Straits, where the 9-15 August 2004 PGA Championship Golf will be held, is considering the purchase of Playa Grande, a golf and beach development 80 kilometers east from Puerto Plata?s International Airport.
Company CEO Herbert Kohler told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, nevertheless, that initial reports of the purchase being transacted were premature. He did say that they are ?exploring? the idea, but that they are also looking at other sites in the DR and elsewhere to expand their hotel business.
El Caribe reported last week that the Monetary Board had authorized the sale of the property on 25 March to Kohler and that the sale had been transacted for US$43 million. Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Felix Calvo confirmed the amounts and said that Kohler would be in the DR this week to continue talks. Kohler, however, said he is currently here on vacation. He told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, “The bank has put up Playa Grande for an auction process, and we had to write a letter of interest. We wrote an attractive letter presenting ourselves. It’s the very beginning of the process. I haven’t talked to anyone down here.”