The mayor of Rosarito Beach and his staff visited Chula Vista Monday morning to solidify a Document of Friendship that was signed this summer between the two cities.
Rosarito Beach Mayor Silvano Abarca Macklis’ visit included tours of Chula Vista’s current and future development projects including the 375—acre University and Innovation District, the Olympic Training Center, the Millenia Project, Gateway Center, Third Avenue and the Bayfront.
“Today I hope that we’ll be able to show you all the wonderful things that are happening in Chula Vista that will benefit both sides of the region,” Chula Vista Mayor Mary Casillas Salas told Abarca Macklis at a press conference.
“And that we want to work together closely to make sure that we build a relationship and show each other qualities and aspects that we have on both sides of the border so that we create a better tourism partnership.”
Casillas Salas took a trip last summer to Rosarito Beach to view potential developments that’s supposed to increase that city’s tourism and bring in more tourism dollars.
Casillas Salas said with Abarca Macklis’ visit to Chula Vista, it was her turn to repay the hospitality.
Casillas Salas said this partnership goes a long way in building a binational relationship with the Baja California region.
Abarca Macklis said the partnership is an agreement of friendship and a mutual desire to assist each other.
“I’m very happy whenever I see a lot of American tourism at Rosarito Beach,” Abarca Macklis said through a translator. “I am also very happy when I come to Chula Vista and I see a lot of people from Rosarito Beach and Baja California shopping here in Chula Vista.”
While Chula Vista showed off its developmental projects Rosarito has a few projects of their own that the mayor says will be an economic boon to the city.
Rosarito Beach has remodeled its main boulevard and instituted its first phase of an improved business district in downtown Rosarito.
And come Nov. 21 the city will sink the Uribe, a former Mexican Navy ship, off the coast of Rosarito Beach to serve as Baja’s first artificial reef and to develop an underwater park.
At the beginning of next year, Rosarito Beach will inaugurate a new center for the arts.
“We have a great cultural community and artist community in Rosarito and now they will have a new cultural center,” Abarca Macklis said through a translator.
Abarca Macklis said just recently Rosarito Beach has had a 17-percent increase in hotel occupancy, which is the highest it has registered in the last nine years.
Abarca Macklis said Rosarito Beach is generating employment and investments in other fields besides tourism by breaking ground on a new $86 million Hyundai plant
Abarca Macklis said he would make sure the partnership with the city of Chula Vista is recognized even after he leaves office.
“This agreement for collaboration and friendship is from the heart,” he said. “It is sincere on the part of Rosarito Beach and the mayor will ensure whoever comes after me will continue with this agreement and this close relationship with the city of Chula Vista.”
