Central gov’t transfers hotel, beach operations to Humacao

Under the agreement, the Municipality of Humacao will retain the income generated by the Humacao beach resort and Punta Santiago Vacation Center and will pay the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources a rental fee equivalent to 25% of the net profits.

By The Star Staff

The central government on Monday signed a document transferring control and maintenance of the Humacao beach resort and the Punta Santiago Vacation Center to the municipality of Humacao.

Gov. Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia, Humacao Mayor Julio Geigel Pérez and the interim secretary of the Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER), Robert Méndez, announced Monday the signing of the contract under which the DNER transfers the facilities to Humacao.

“I have given my word to our mayors to help them improve the facilities of our most important beach resorts,” the governor said. “By investing in the infrastructure and maintenance of our beach resorts, we promote a healthy and welcoming environment for all residents of Puerto Rico. That is why I have given high priority to the management and maintenance agreements of the beach resorts with our mayors since they are the ones who best know the potential and scope of these facilities.”

The governor added that “this is an action we have been working on for years; today, it is already a reality.”

“With this agreement, the municipality will assume the management of the parking lot, the water park, the buildings and their concessionaires, and the maintenance, cleaning and surveillance of the facilities, which will further enable the development capacity of the resort and the vacation center,” Pierluisi said.

Under the agreement, the municipality will retain the income generated by the facilities and will pay the DNER a rental fee equivalent to 25% of the net profits. The contract, which will last for 15 years and is renewable for two additional terms of five years each, must be endorsed by the U.S. National Park Service, given that the park was developed with funds from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund program.

“It is a matter of pride for our administration to announce that, after almost 25 years of waiting, the transfer of the Punta Santiago beach resort to the municipal administration of Humacao is finally a reality,” Geigel Pérez said. “This historic achievement not only represents a significant advance for our community, but also opens up new opportunities for the tourist and economic development of our region.”