The Department of Civil Aviation will invest $8 million in designing an integral development plan for Costa Rica’s international airports. The master plans and indication of priority projects will be completed by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

According to Bernal Mesén, director of Civil Aviation, the priorities are master plans for the Liberia Airport and the Southern Zone Airport near Palmar Norte. The southern airport must have the capacity to receive large airliners from Asia and Europe and will probably be located in the Sierpe Valley, next to the Térraba River.

The Liberia plan should be ready in April or May of 2007 and is to include plans for embarkation bridges, passenger areas, and areas for Customs and Immigration officials.

The ICAO will deliver the plans for the southern zone airport 5 months later, then will suggest improvements needed at the feeder airports of Sámara and Tamarindo, in Guanacaste; Palmar (Osa) and La Managua ( Quepos), in Puntarenas Province.

Deposits in checking, savings and time deposits rose more in colones than in dollars during September and October.

However, dollar deposits still represent more than 50% of the total.  Low inflation has stimulated deposits in colones, according to economista Alberto Franco. Inflation currently is at 10%, the lowest rate since 2003.

The lower devaluation rate of the colon against the dollar is also making investment in colones more attractive.  The dollar has lost ground against the colon since October.

Only 1% of the total deposits were in Euros.
www.nacion….

A group of US investors who are buying the Las Arcadas shopping center have run into opposition for their plans to build a nine-story “smart” hotel on this land.  The land is adjacent to the Hotel Gran Costa Rica, Plaza de la Cultura and National Theater.

The Ministry of Culture received a letter of protest from Érick Gutiérrez Rojas, general manager of the Gran Hotel Costa Rica . Gutiérrez maintains that building a nine story building would “severely” the collection of buildings that has been declared a national treasure: the National Theater, the Hotel Gran Costa Rica and Las Arcadas.
Based on this criteria, Sandra Quirós, director of Patrimony for the Ministry of Culture, sent a letter to Rodolfo Sancho, director de Civic Engineering at the San José city hall. In the letter she asked the city to consult with the Ministry of Culture before granting any construction permits on the land in question.

Juan Carlos Obando, General Manager of the Corporación Grupo San José, which represents the investment group, stated that the hotel project would not disrupt the harmony of the national treasures. According to Obando the architects working on the project will respect the historical nature of the square that is so dear to the josefinos.

“It will be in harmony with the other buildings.  If 9 floors is too disruptive, we won’t build them. ”, said Obando. Also, he promised that if they determine the project for a hotel is not viable, then the group will build something else.