Cozumel Officials Refuse to Back Beach Club Project Over Environmental Concerns

Cozumel, Quintana Roo — The municipal government will not approve the “Club de Playa Cozumel Opportunity” beach club project, according to local officials, dealing a potential setback to the development planned for the island’s southwestern coast.

Diego Roberto Lope Mena, head of Cozumel’s Urban Development Department, said the city will withhold its backing for the project, which is currently undergoing federal environmental review. A public consultation organized by the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) concluded Friday, August 14.

In a brief interview, Lope Mena said the company behind the project has not yet applied for any municipal permits, though it could do so in the coming days. He noted that Urban Development staff have already inspected the site and prepared a technical study in anticipation of a request from SEMARNAT.

“SEMARNAT asks us for a technical opinion and we prepare it. It’s already under way, in case it’s needed, especially if time is short,” he said.

The official said the project is not viable under any circumstances, as construction would destroy large areas of mangrove and disrupt an ecosystem rich in flora and fauna.

“Based on what we saw, it’s honestly not viable,” Lope Mena said. “Anyone who has doubts should come take a look. It’s worth it.”

The developer, Opportunity Knocks de México S.A. de C.V., is seeking to build on a 1,400-square-meter parcel of federal maritime-terrestrial zone (Zofemat) near the Puerta Maya cruise pier and the Fonatur corridor.

The proposal has drawn opposition from environmental groups, including the “No al Cuarto Muelle” association, which warns the project could endanger reefs and the ecosystem of the island’s southwest.