Steve Case, an American businessman aged 48 famous for being co-founder of America On line (AOL), officially announced that, with an investment of $800 millions, the American company called Revolution Places LLC plans to build a tourist complex that will be an example of integration between community and protection of nature in Punta Cacique.
Punta Cacique is located northern Guanacaste, in Sardinal de Carrillo, between Playa Hermosa and El Coco beaches. The project will generate 2,000 direct jobs.
Steve Case, an American businessman, age 48, knew that the Internet would be a part of the daily life when that idea generated more skepticism than enthusiasm. Nowadays, after 25 years and millions of dollars later, Case has another vision for his new group of companies called Revolution. The industry is Tourism.
He spent 10 years working on the success of American On Line, and he will spend 10 more years working in what he assures will be the best resort in the world, in Costa Rica.
Case knows by experience that his talent is to build a successful business, and not to administrate it.
Some years ago he was driving around Costa Rica and he fell in love with it because it reminded him of Hawaii, where he was born and grew up. 'It looked like Hawaii 50 years ago', he said. He saw the opportunity right away.
Case commented that Costa Rica feels closer to the States than Hawaii, it is exotic, authentic, beautiful and secure too. 'It is exactly the scenery we want.'
Steve Case wants to create a new resort concept. He wants to integrate the communities to the resort, and make the guests part of it. Usually, people travel, live in a hotel for some days, go to the pool, take a tour, but they do not know the place as such.
Revolution is creating a new kind of resort, more like a 21st century project, according to the needs of the market, in harmony with nature and in alliance with the community. Case is going to spend ten years of his life in Costa Rica trying to create what he hopes will be the best resort in the world and the model of what is going to be a resort in the 21st century.
They are creating a new little town. The local people will have the chance to open businesses and integrate themselves in the economy. In that way the tourists will be motivated to go out and give some support to these local businesses. Entertainment is important and new options are being studied.
Case said that they are announcing the investment of $1 million in order to microfinance the local businesses to stimulate their capital. They are also going to plant one million trees. They want a new forest that will help to solve the problem of water in Guanacaste.
Tourism sector in Hawaii is managed by local people who have developed the abilities. There is a particular interest here. 'This project should make Costa Rican's feel proud. It is their community, their peninsula and not ours', said Case.
Case also promised that his investment will remain in the country regarding the referendum results about the Tratado de Libre Comercio (Cental American Free Trade Agreement) with USA, coming on the 7th of October 2007.
The original design of the property has been changed. It was too dense; it had permissions to build 2,000 units and 7 hotels. Revolution has changed it dramatically. Now there are 2 hotels, 300 villas, restaurants and boutiques. Therefore, 80% of the land will not be developed.
Something that bothered Steve Case was that it was going to be one of those closed worlds, with a huge wall that looked like a jail or a fort, and signs that make the locals feel that 'we are building something here and you are going to be left out'. The wall has been torn down already.
The local people have to be prepared to be part of the development. One can see when people like what they do, or they simply do their job, because it is the only thing they could find. It is called in Hawaii 'aloha' spirit. It is an attitude, more than a service job.
It has to be a balance between environment and culture. If the country permits to build 500 hotels on the beach, all looking the same, it will not be very visionary. They have to build with a taste and a feeling for local culture, there is no doubt about that.
In twenty years the vacation system will be reorganized around the consumers; therefore, Revolution wants to build something that gives people the feeling that they are in Costa Rica, not in a hotel that looks like it has been made with a cookie cutter, identical to all the others.
Steve Case thinks that it is difficult to make a projection about the success of Revolution right now. It was a journey of 20 years with AOL, the second 10 years was the time when he took off and, fame and fortune arrived, he liked the first 10 better. He is still learning and he thinks that he is best at building and innovating. He plans to concentrate on that.
He has invested more than $500 million in Revolution, and he is still investing, it does not bother him. He invested for 10 years before AOL was profitable.
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