Playa del Carmen’s Future Plaza La Isla Shopping Center Gets a Location

Aerial view of the vacant lot where Plaza La Isla will be built in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — The future Plaza La Isla shopping center, announced Tuesday by Mayor Estefanía Mercado, will be built on a vacant lot across from the motocross track along Federal Highway 307 (Playa del Carmen Boulevard), between CTM and 34th Avenues.

The location was revealed in an environmental impact statement filed by the developer with the federal Environment Ministry. The lot spans 86,000 square meters and covers nearly an entire city block, except for the space occupied by the El Campesino soccer field.

According to the document, the project has a construction budget of 450 million pesos and an annual maintenance cost of 31 million pesos.

The shopping center will feature 17 buildings with retail stores, movie theaters, restaurants, bars, a bowling alley, entertainment games, and administrative offices. It will also include six food kiosks, an outdoor play area, two service areas (with restrooms, ATMs, and phones), a covered parking lot, plus gardens and plaza spaces.

“The project has all the relevant licenses and permits for water, electrical, construction, and land-use compatibility,” the environmental impact statement states, adding details about service use and the environmental impact of clearing the land.

The developers emphasized that only one protected plant species exists on the site, which can be transplanted, and that the unfenced lot is currently used as an illegal dump. Due to fragmentation, no native flora or protected fauna remain.

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By Ana Reyes

Ana Reyes covers environmental policy, conservation initiatives, infrastructure projects, and political developments across the Yucatán Peninsula for Riviera Maya News & Events. She reports on issues from sargassum management and reef conservation to the Maya Train, coastal development, and state and federal policy affecting Quintana Roo and the broader peninsula.Ana has covered environmental and political news since 2023, tracking key developments in Mexico's environmental regulations, coral reef protection, coastal zone management, and the intersection of tourism development with conservation efforts. Her reporting spans from Cancun's hotel zone to the Sian Ka'an Biosphere Reserve and the culturally significant regions of the Yucatán interior.Ana is fluent in English and Spanish, and draws from a wide range of sources including government environmental agencies, conservation organizations, academic researchers, and local community leaders to provide balanced, well-sourced coverage. She is particularly focused on how environmental policy decisions affect the daily lives of residents and the long-term sustainability of the region.For story tips: ana@rivieramayanews.mx