Somehow September rushed by this year, not dawdling as it can be wont to do when clouds hang overhead in lackadaisical languor. As usual, a number of residents took time to escape, but those flights tend to be less necessary with continually busy social calendars in the bay area. September brought Fiestas Patrias, with parades, parties, pageants, dances and fireworks dividing the month in half. This year the program included sports events such as a triathlon, which became a biathlon, a bike race, a water ski competition and a martial arts expo.
On a personal note, I found that not only were the tránsito out in force, but they seem to adore those radar guns like a boy’s new toy. Yes, I got caught speeding, — not once, but twice. The first time I was able to explain by pointing out that I was distracted looking for an address, while the second time I had no such explanation. Since it was Friday, I couldn’t recover my driver’s license until Monday, and am now familiar with the municipal facility in Las Juntas. If you pay within five days, the fine is reduced 50%, but even so mine still came to a hefty $220 pesos. So drive safely and watch for radar guns.
A number of projects are nearing completion at press time. Prime among those is the parking lot at Hidalgo Park, scheduled to open September 15, just in time for Fiestas Patrias. The upper public area is still under construction, but should be ready sometime this month. Benito Juárez Park is next, to be followed by Plaza Lázaro Cárdenas with the extension of the Malecón.
A lawsuit by several Hotel Zone businesses and hotels aimed at stopping and reversing the Grand Venetian development, which was featured on the cover of our September issue, was accepted at the state level. Local experts and city administrators continue to state that there are no anomalies, which they will be required to prove to continue the project. Meanwhile, no slowdown is in sight.
Commercial centers seem to be all the rage in the bay area. A rumored commercial center is planned for the vacant lot next to Plaza Lázaro Cárdenas, which many wish would become the parking lot rather than the park. Perhaps this will replace the much-ballyhooed project of the market center on Isla Rio Cuale, rejected by many as environmentally unsafe.
Another commercial center nearly completed is Plaza Caracol, with spaces filling up quickly as the Cinemark movie complex draws in the public. A large meeting and convention area on the second floor will be heavily used once completed. Nearby, the Peninsula complex will also include a deluxe commercial center with restaurants, bars and boutiques. Then across the road in the Fluvial Vallarta development, plans include a commercial center with a focus on fashion. Meanwhile, the land laying fallow presumably for high-end Liverpool waits.
Once Litibú is further developed, that area will contain major shopping, as well as meeting other commercial needs. Hopefully, one of those early plans includes a grocery store. The entire northern end, including La Cruz, Buceriás, Flamingos, Mezcales and the interior towns of San Juan de Abajo, San Jose and others, as well as Ixtapa and Las Juntas, would all appreciate better access to shopping.
The design center in front of Plaza Neptuno is nearing completion and will be ready for occupation soon. As development along the bay continues, the businesses required to provide furnishings and appliances have long been out of reach or simply not available locally. The newly inaugurated Burton Henry’s in downtown Puerto Vallarta imports three lines of impeccably designed furniture particularly suited for the indoor/outdoor life of the bay area. Owner Larry Peterson opens his showroom with quite an impressive stockroom in back.
Lynne Bairstow invited me to Four Seasons Punta Mita when one of the scheduled press members had to cancel due to illness. It gave me an opportunity to see firsthand what makes life in Punta de Mita not only different than life in Puerto Vallarta, but also the amazing development that continues there. The private Jack Nicklaus Signature golf course opened its doors, allowing me to visit the legendary Tail of the Whale, hole 3B, on this 19-hole course. The bar carries the same name, often the preferred 19th hole for players.
The road construction to Punta de Mita has been halted by what seems to be a misunderstanding by a company that decided not to lose more money on what was a losing proposition — or something like that. With the new administration coming into power in Nayarit just after mid-September, undoubtedly some shaking up will happen to get the project underway again. Governor-elect Ney González Sánchez promises to invest $800 million pesos into the tourist infrastructure in Banderas Bay. Some say the investment is part of the same package from the outgoing administration.
Both entrances to Nuevo Vallarta should be completed in October, allowing the remainder of the improvements — including new signage, sidewalks, planting of trees — to continue into the upcoming season. Now, prepare yourself for the new construction of two bridges crossing the Pitillal River and El Salado, a project scheduled for completion in March 2006.
