Was: Overzealous Republican golf-loving execs plan to ruin Playa/Estero Santa Barbara ---Now: "Mega-resort for the rich...

A recent visit to the site confirms the grandiose plans in store for this pristine jewel located near Mulege in the Sea of Cortez.
The plans are quite expansive and truely emulate the global fruits the developer has built to satiate imperial needs and lust.
Peruse the corporate website replete with stolen web-images. Study the plans that offer solace, isolation and the necessities of the very rich.
Now with all that ambiance provided take a look at who exactly are these people and how could they possibly just buy up pristine semi-virgin estero land and turn it into a Cancun stlye private beach club for the rich and famous.

With that aside, the real issue paramount to developing such an incredible site is the abililty to develop and coexist with the virgin mangove estuary and tidal flats.

I was informed that the cheapest room for which there are few will be around $600 per night while most rooms are in the $5000-$6000 per night range.

But you get beach club and golfing at it's finest. Plus a boutique bla bla bla.............

Ok here's the deal. I saw the place up close and personal and toured the expansive area thoroughly. It is a sensitive and special place in many respects IMHO.

I think that any prudent person who investigated this project and the people and govt relationships would convince anyone why and how this could "just" happen. Would you put trust in an Enron laison or Reagan Amabassador?
Who really is chipping dog poop into the bay.
Not me. But heck I just did 20 mins online and learned a world of stuff at Geiko!. I wondered who Theodore Gildred was, cause I'd heard that name sometime after the flood when I collected almost $4000 for FD equipment in Mulege from mostly Nomads. I heard he donated to the Sister City program. It turns out a prodige' of his was a fellow named Mike F. associated with the ICF foundation out of La Paz. I wonder if they know each other??
I Googled Mr Gildred. WOW! I thought he was just a rich guy. I had no idea of his political past but I sure understand how this project could be easily installed w/o some type of environmental address. It spells disaster for exactly the type of environment addressed recently in Los Cabos.
The area during my visit showed at high tide salt-water upwelling in the the whole basin. Filling or altering this natural tidal area would have detrimental effects. Another hi-risk issue is that of the arroyo and wash that funnels into this small estero. Boulders the size of small cars and large meandering wash constantly alters the area.
I see nothing but disaster with this project from the stance of preserving a fragile estero and nursery. From the standpoint of exclusive and world-class golfing and spoiling what else could be better? It's easy for me. What do you think?

Plans
Golf course developers

De Palace

Bush connection

Friends of De Palace(ICDSS)

One local long-time playa guy who lives very near the project recently said he hinted for "green fees" in lieu of money for favors and work for the corporation. Must be a "publican"
Kinda sad really.
....end of rant.......er, post...




[Edited on 7-3-2007 by Sharksbaja]

Looks like a beautiful place---the way it is right now.

Now, if they build that monster, people who pay that kind of money to stay somewhere fly in their private jets. What would they do, fly into Loreto---I know, then they could take the ABC - Plus bus to the resort.

Really hate to see it happen.

Diane

here

The white sand beach on the right in the photo is Coyote.

We spent a day exploring the area by kayak about 10 years ago. We tried to find a road into it and found only fences. We asked around and were told that the property was private and owned by the family of one of the former presidents of Mexico. We knew then that it was likely when,not if, it would be developed.

That guy builds some beautiful golf courses.

So Beautiful Now

The photos were awesome, I see why you have settled in this area. The thought of this project is really sad. I think they want to make all of Baja Sur into "The Cabo Riveria ". Are there really that many people who can afford this? CaboRon

Not one shred of trash or left-overs here:

Google view of sensitive area:

He's a Greedy Bloody Sassenach Wanker!
Responsible for the rape of vast tracts of land worldwide.
I see he's the one of those who have screwed up Bandon OR


A I said before; Golf is a Scourge.
There are hundreds off spots around the globe where this scourge has overtaken the natural world.
As they say in Hawaii "You can't eat golf balls."

http://utenti.lycos.it/dossierisarenas/golf.htm
http://www.earthisland.org/eijournal/new_articles.cfm?articl...

[Edited on 6-30-2007 by Halboo]

The Gull Has It!

The brochure is a hoot, I like the juice they will have to get inside the secure area to greet guests at the Loreto Airport:

"Upon arrival at the Loreto International Airport, you are
immediately struck by the charming local palapa architecture common
throughout Baja California and Mexico. Friendly and attentive hotel
greeting staff are on hand to help you clear customs and retrieve your
bags, but only after offering you a refreshing local potion."

I will pass on this development, as it relies on the mass-transit, bus-like service of commercial airlines at a public airport, instead of the private airstrip that I, and my Gulfstream, deserve.

I don't like to see developments in Baja, but there is an economic necessity. Unless we think we should be able to visit and live in a Baja populated by dirt poor but friendly happy people riding around on burros and fishing from dug-out sailing boats.

The several huge developments in the immediate Loreto Area involve thousands of units, resulting in tens of thousands of migrants into the area. Huge areas will be developed.

This development is tiny by comparison, but with great "value added" in architecture, staff requirements, and maintenance requirements. Lots of jobs fueled by very high prices that won't have to be discounted to compete with the baby boom masses. Yeah, I hate golf courses. But where water is so scarce, better to use some for a golf course bringing in a big spenders than to provide for a new worker ghetto of 75,000 people, AND a golf course. Hell, I hope they use a TON of water, so that there's none left for anyone else to develop around there. So all you get is ONE development for a relative HANDFUL of guests who will spend LOTS of money. Anyway, that's how I'd plan it.

So if Old Hippie (Old Special Forces?) is going to call in an airstrike, please aim farther south.

Also, places like this provide great security for Mexico. In a crisis, the assets there (the guests) can be siezed for large ransoms or political extortion.

hmmm i was wondering when the old hippy would flip?? to the other side
seems as long as its popular he will sway with the masses lol

Disclaimer:

I don't know this "Old Hippie" guy.

I was a "Peace and Love" hippie, not a "Destroyer of Airports" hippie.

And we use that airport since I misplaced my Gulfstream. Maybe I left it in Uruguay.

I should have named this post and I will call it forthwith: "Mega-resort for the rich planned for the Bay of Concepcion".

Gawd, how many times have we heard how this or that mega-project is going to happen in this area. As with the easily accessable beaches and shoreline of Baja, comes the hand of development as profit potential soars.

We've all seen that gloved hand. It waves high in places such as Los Cabos to the south and Playas de Rosarito in the north. The growth factor is phenomenol and the end product is not unlike other prime coastal shores worldwide. The development in Latin countries but especially Mexico and Central America is at full-speed ahead on the grab and develop mindset. There are big profits to be made, especially if you have deep pockets and important connections inside the "machine".
I see there is a definite advantage in having "connections" inside many offices and at various levels of the process, you know, attorneys, consutants, govt. liasons, etc..

Enough of that but the point is; only big, connected, wealthy corps need apply.
----------------

Along comes one certainly powerful developer with all the criteria necessary to accomplish a major development in any country and you may have a problem.
I can spell it out pretty plainly for those who should but doin't understand the ramifications of this type of resort in this type of area.

For the record, the area in discussion here is called Estero Santa Barbara. It is located about 15 mi south of Mulege. It is a magnificant little jewel with shallow clear waters. An important stop for sailors seeking sheltered waters. Historically, the area has been accessable by land only periodically as the arroyo that helped form and feed the area with fresh water floods easily and reverts the track back to riverbed regularily.
The purchace and development plans are grandiose in scale. Many bays in the Bay of Conception contain dwellings, including homes, very few small restaurants and outbuildings. It amounts to small nestled established beaches which used produce uncounted amounts of various shellfish and fish plus whales and other marine mammals.

That's right, Bahia De Concepcion was "The" place to go in the early 80's. Hech, with a small boat, a diver with a hooka, one could cash in on the bounty the bay offered up. Have you seeen the middens of thousands of years of subsistance of Baja dwellers? It's amazing how they managed the resources at their fingertips.
That all went away though. It was eventually necessary to create laws to protect the waters and the populations of sea animals. Gone were all the whales, gone were many types of invertebrates. Gone were thelucrative inshore fishing for countless species.
Did they learn or save much? I think not, I have see prohibited shrimp trawlers in there. Not to mention the shark hunters piles of discarged parts. These are supposedely Federally protected wates. Hmmmmphh! Bull-doo.
The story repeats itself day in and day out in Baja. Maybe to the tune of money?

------------


Now with all that keen knowledge. Imagine this: a bay, not really tampered with. It has a functional mangrove estuary. It has not been altered or changed in millenium. There is an fresh-water aquifer that feeds that basin and estero.


A few notes. First off the corp has rights to six undeveloped wells in the basis. The aquifer not clearly defined so it may or may not be part of the same aquifer as Mulege.
Second, all arrivees are to be transported to the development via the sea. Hence a prominate dock and support structures will be needed. The road in is for the infrastructure.

Third, I am shocked that because it's not in your neighborhood, some deem it unimportant or of great value. Ironic how passions run here?? What a crock!

My whole point is the potential for distruction of a viable mangrove estuary fed by a fresh water aquifer. I could really care less what political affiliation these developers have but found it quite disturbing that most of these US corps have strong ties to govt. and republicans in general.
Some Nomads think Mexico has the right to destroy or otherwise alter permanently ideal spawning grounds etc etc.
I guess what these people are saying is that Mexicao and it's people and politicians can't learn from others. Man, what a rank insult. They can only learn if they are given information. Sometimes it may be necessary or important to reevaluate concerns or the dynamics of a planned development. Sometimes information needs to be interjected. No? I'm sure the Nomads in Loreto would agree on that in principal. Or maybe not.
You can see this place is very special because of the lack of human interference. To write it off as unimportant because of the scope in terms of visitors is just plain naive and rediculous. So what I am hearing is screams from beaches being changed forever in populated areas. You folks who don't care about this one should really just not get involved or say anythang in related theads . Don't be hypocrits.
----

PLEASE , THINK ABOUT THE FISH for a change.

Thanks Don

All the rhetoric...

How?

Oh, thank you god.

It's nice to know a higher authority with all his wisdom and predictions can straighten us all out. I've always subscribed to to "cause and effect" principal for fragile areas. If you fill a pool full of fish with cement the fish will be _____ So exactly when will the world end?

[Edited on 7-3-2007 by Sharksbaja]

Golf? Sorta like watching paint dry.

Jerry,
That's one for the books.

Yeah, I know Jerry

ok van i splan it two u was not overbearingly determined:

No Jerry I don't hate golf courses in general. My rants are always about "coastal" courses. I think they are a problem for many reasons when they are situated between the public and the ocean. It has to do with myriad problems. For those who ask. It's quite obvious really. Water is a big issue. Access is a big issue. Uncontrolled parallel growth is an important issue. Displacement of inhabitants livelyhoods are another. The usefulness of these courses is only for a select number of elite "users" and for only one thing. It may sound like I'm including ALL courses but I've never targeted any but coastal courses.
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Back to the original thread.>>


Looky here, it's just nuther' sensitive area slated for change. I can dig change!! I like change. Change can be good. Change can be bad. Black and white. Sorta. We all like to feel good about a project that assails our own desires and freedoms.
I don't want no control freak, like extreme liberals telling me how my place should adhere to a certain criteria. I like to exercise my freedom(s) too and ability to have nice things as many of you do. Without sounding like a hypocrit it may be possible to convey a simple message and alternative about the blatant big-boy corporate approach. Sure it's legal but it doesn't necessarily make it right. I don't applaud these guys because of their ability to hammer out complicated and expensive developments. Rather their political and monetary stature enables them to do things little people could never do. Especially on the environmental front. Sleep with the devil. It could make you money.
To me, these mega-jobs seem to impress two demographics. Those that have big bucks and can partake of all the fun and those that simply lust and approve thru their imagination. . Most folks never even give it a thought as to the way coastal golf resorts alter the environment.
So many love golf. I salute the athlete/player for what it's worth. Kudos for your determined and tenacious desire to achieve par .
In your quest to do so please remember life (should) come before sport. The animals around you do count for something. Count them in. Think deeeeeeeeeply.............

Oh....and....