Puerto Rico's government has authorized a $2 billion luxury development on the island's southwest coast, overriding opposition from environmentalists who say it threatens wildlife and will strain the territory's resources.
The project, called Esencia, would be built on 2,000 acres in the coastal town of Cabo Rojo. It would include 500 luxury hotel rooms, 1,200 private residences, two golf courses, an equestrian center, a school from kindergarten through 12th grade, and a 24-hour medical center. Hotel brands Mandarin Oriental and Rosewood Hotels and Resorts have already signed on to the project.
Puerto Rico's Adjunct Board of the Permit Management Office issued the approval late Thursday. The Associated Press received a copy of the approval Friday. The project is backed by global investment firm Reuben Brothers and real estate development company Three Rules Capital.
The developers said more than 75 percent of the project's footprint would be dedicated to conservation and green space, including the restoration of roughly 33 acres of wetlands and the rehabilitation of coastal dunes and mangrove ecosystems. They also said the development would be entirely powered by renewable energy and would maintain its own water and energy systems.
Environmentalists were not satisfied. Braulio Quintero, executive director of the Puerto Rico-based Institute for Socio-Ecological Research, said his organization intends to fight the project in every available venue.
"We are going to fight this in every forum possible," Quintero said.
He criticized officials for approving construction "without a public hearing, without governmental transparency."
"These individuals must be subjected to public scrutiny," Quintero said of the developers. "These are serious threats to our sustainability as a people."
Developers say the project is expected to generate more than 17,000 jobs. They described it as a benchmark for environmentally responsible luxury development and said they would protect public beach access. Sales are expected to begin later this year, with the first residents and guests anticipated in late 2029.
