The Tijuana Country Club and its 18-hole golf course, an oasis of swaying palms and manicured lawns in the crowded Mexican border city, is set for a
radical makeover as a public park under a government plan to turn it over to the people.
Baja California state Governor Jaime Bonilla of the ruling party Morena has proposed to convert the club's 120 acres (50 hectares) into a public
recreational space for sports and culture, arguing that it is one of the few green areas in Tijuana that can be redeveloped for that purpose, in a
city with few parks.
"Studies have shown that what we need for Tijuana is an area that would raise the standard of living," said Amador Rodriguez, the secretary general of
Baja California, in an interview on Monday.
Predating U.S. tourist hotspot Las Vegas, the elegant Agua Caliente hotel, golf course, horse racetrack and casino complex was founded in the 1920s
and originally served rich Americans slipping over the border for fun in the prohibition era when the liquor trade was banned in the United States.
Famous visitors included Hollywood stars and, apocryphally, gangster Al Capone, while in recent decades the club became known as a hangout for
Tijuana's political and economic elite.
Parts of it, including the golf course, later became today's Club Campestre, or country club.
In 2018, PGA Tour-affiliated golf returned to the legendary course, for the first time in more than half a century.
The property's ownership has been in dispute for decades, with the government saying it was not properly transferred to new owners in 1969, after the
deaths of two joint owners. Club members say the property is registered as belonging to "Club Campestre Tijuana."
Rodriguez said that if there was no challenge to the project, "the expropriation will be decreed in 15 days" and whoever is recognized as the owner by
courts will receive more than 1.2 billion pesos ($60.6 million) over two years.
The governor's proposal comes ahead of mid-term elections on June 6, including for state governor. In a city with few public spaces, some of the
world's highest levels of crime, and a wide gap between rich and poor, the idea has caused ripples among voters.
The expropriation plan was made public through the state government's official newspaper last week.
President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who is seeking to address economic inequality in Mexico but has stopped short of expropriations or
nationalizations, on Tuesday told reporters he was looking into the matter.
Adolfo Solis, a lawyer for members of the club, warned that expropriation would set a dangerous precedent, calling property one of the most important
rights to be upheld.
"Any opponent, any journalist or any official, any group that is not aligned with the government, could simply have their property removed," Solis
said.
"This debate is going to be won in the courts," he added.
I saw that, wouldn't it be great to make it an affordable 9 hole course for the people and do what they want with the rest? it is a beautiful
course.BajaTed - 4-21-2021 at 12:58 PM
When you play a round there, you get a real live Caddy to drive you around, find your ball and get you an alcoholic beverage as desired. AlanDavid90 - 4-21-2021 at 06:34 PM
Why are you concerned about the Campestre Golf Club if it only served for the Tijuana's high society, not for access to the public, at least they have
another golf course and it is located in Real del Mardel mar - 4-21-2021 at 07:06 PM
Why are you concerned about the Campestre Golf Club if it only served for the Tijuana's high society, not for access to the public, at least they have
another golf course and it is located in Real del Mar
well its what you call a "news story" Alan.....and the public is welcome. have you played both? no comparisonmtgoat666 - 4-21-2021 at 08:04 PM
Conversion of the country club to a great urban park would be great for TJ. The gritty/dirty/concrete side of TJ really needs some greenery and open
space to balance out the din of concrete and blight.
TJ could be a great city if it worked on making the city more walkable and aesthetically pleasing...
