Mayakoba Residents Cite Robberies as Playa del Carmen Announces New Park

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Residents of the Ciudad Mayakoba development are voicing security concerns just as Playa del Carmen Mayor Estefanía Mercado promotes plans for a large new public park in the area.

The park, announced on Sept. 24, would be modeled on a traditional “Alameda” and include cultural areas, bike lanes and recreational zones. But some residents say the plan, combined with a decision to drop ID checks at the main entrance, has left them feeling exposed.

Two robberies and a stolen truck

In mid-September, the residential complex’s administration told residents in an internal notice that the requirement to show identification at the main entrance would be suspended. Since then, residents report two robberies and the theft of a pickup truck from people who entered the private community under the pretext of renting an apartment.

Leslie, a tenant who has lived in Ciudad Mayakoba since 2025, said she supports investment in the area but worries about the lack of controls.

“I’m in favor of investment here, because the more they invest, the more it grows and that benefits us. But the problem is the abuse — they had barely announced that identification would no longer be required and there were already two robberies, plus the theft of a truck three days ago from people who got into the private community by saying they wanted to rent an apartment,” she said.

Other complaints focus on security guards who residents say neglect their duties and on emergency buttons that take roughly 20 minutes to draw a response.

A park with a lookout tower, lake and zipline

The project announced by Mercado includes a bike lane, sports courts, an outdoor amphitheater, a zipline, a small train and the “Mirador de la Selva,” an elevated platform designed as the park’s centerpiece so visitors can take in the native vegetation and surrounding landscape. A lake and a cultural activities center are also planned.

Officials described the park as a space to strengthen community life and social integration, and said it would be developed in collaboration with Grupo Mayakoba. They have not specified where inside the complex it would be built or how much it will cost.

Ciudad Mayakoba has delivered more than 4,000 housing units, with more than 5,000 people living there year-round.

Concerns about public money

Some residents who live outside the complex object to public funding going to a private development. Nohemí Hernández, a basic education teacher, said the money would be better spent closer to where most residents live.

“If they really thought about the people, it wouldn’t be in that area,” she said.

Susana, who works at a laundry inside Mayakoba, said the park itself is a good idea because free recreational space is scarce in Playa del Carmen, but she added that the arrival of more visitors would worsen the theft problem for those who live there.

The complex’s administration has not said whether it will adjust its access protocols after the reported incidents. Local authorities continue to accept citizen input on the park’s design, and residents say they are organizing to present their own observations on mobility and internal security.