It’s been almost two years since any significant update has been given on a proposed casino on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, but the project is moving forward and is still working toward becoming a reality. The $400 million Casino City Caribe was first announced in April 2018 and is expected to be completely finished by 2027, although different sections will be opened in phases along the way. If things go according to plan, local outlets indicate the resort could lift Costa Rica into the same conversation as hubs like Las Vegas and Macau, and give them a run for their money.
Casino City Resort is being built in the Caribbean coastal city of Moin and the use of “city” in the title is appropriate. There are expected to be three casino hotels, a riverboat casino, a marina, a conference center, 240 beachfront apartments and 180 vacation home lots that will be offered for individual sale. There is also going to be a spa and wellness center included, as the resort looks to attract all types of tourists, not just gamblers.
Costa Rica relies heavily on tourism for its economy; without it, the country would miss out on around $1.7 billion a year. It’s the bread-and-butter of the economy, but most of the activity currently found is on the country’s Pacific coast and its many beaches on that side – not much tourism development has taken place on the eastern waters. Casino City Resort hopes to change that.
The development means more than just turning raw land into buildings. New roads have to be added, a new airport is planned, and an entire infrastructure has to be included. The first phase of the massive undertaking is about to really get going this March with the first phase of the project, the Royal Tortuguero Resort Casino Hotel, to be put up during the dry season. It will include one of the casinos, a clubhouse and a hotel with 60 rooms.
From there, additional facilities will be added as the project gains interest among visitors, as well as interest from additional investors, according to Patti Rao. Rao is the owner of Patti Rao Projects, which initiated the project, and is now beginning to see his dream come to life. “I work hard for the success of the project, for the progress of Limón and Costa Rica, and for the tourist and economic growth of the Caribbean coast,” he adds.
