Santo Domingo witnessed a significant advancement in urban development as President Luis Abinader officially opened the La Gaviota amphitheater in Ciudad Juan Bosch on Thursday. This cultural infrastructure represents a pivotal achievement within the nation’s premier model city initiative, showcasing a holistic approach to community building.
The newly inaugurated venue forms part of an extensive portfolio of completed and ongoing developments spearheaded by the VBC-RD Trust in collaboration with Movexco Constructora. This comprehensive strategy integrates housing solutions with cultural amenities, sports facilities, public services, and communal spaces to create a fully integrated urban environment.
José Ignacio Paliza, Minister of the Presidency, emphasized the project’s profound social impact, noting its transformation of the area into a thriving community. “We are now creating more developed citizens,” Paliza stated, underscoring the initiative’s broader societal benefits.
Camel Curi Lora, executive director of the VBC-RD Trust, revealed the project’s remarkable turnaround from previous stagnation, characterized by limited appeal and a 105 million peso debt. The development has seen extraordinary growth, expanding from 4,777 households in 2020 to approximately 15,500 currently, with projections indicating 25,000 homes upon final completion.
Beyond the amphitheater, Ciudad Juan Bosch boasts substantial infrastructure including two wastewater treatment plants, a comprehensive sports complex, funeral services facility, ecological park, vitrified regulating tank, and expanded parking infrastructure serving the cultural venue and adjacent areas.
The amphitheater’s inauguration will be celebrated from February 12 to 15 through a diverse cultural program coordinated with the Ministry of Culture. The festivities will feature symphonic concerts by the Santo Domingo Philharmonic Orchestra, contemporary dance performances by the National Contemporary Dance Company, choral presentations by Koribe Chamber Choir, folkloric exhibitions by the Dominican National Folkloric Ballet, and innovative musical experiences from Escuela Libre de Herrera and DJ Clara Egelmann Tolentino.