BELIZE CITY – The organizing committee of Belize’s premier river racing event, La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge, has implemented a controversial relocation of its finish line after nearly thirty years at the same location. The dramatic shift from the traditional Belcan Bridge endpoint to the Grand Resort near Haulover Bridge represents the most significant change to the event in its three-decade history.
Event officials, led by Vice Chair Roberto Harrison, maintain that the relocation addresses critical safety concerns and enhances crowd management capabilities. Harrison emphasized that spectator security remains the paramount consideration, stating that open spaces present unpredictable risks during large-scale gatherings. The new venue will implement an entrance fee structure to offset increased security costs, mirroring the approach already established at other race checkpoints like Burrell Boom.
However, this procedural modification has ignited substantial public opposition. A News Five Facebook poll revealed overwhelming disapproval, with 93% of over 1,100 respondents rejecting the venue change. Only 4% expressed support, while 3% remained undecided.
The controversy extends beyond spectator experience to impact local vendors. Traditional food sellers along the Belize River Valley now face additional regulatory hurdles, including a mandatory $100 dealer’s permit from the Forest Department for game meat sales. One veteran vendor, who has participated since the event’s inception, revealed escalating costs from the original $50 stall fee to $150 last year, now reduced to $100. This vendor has decided to withdraw from this year’s event altogether, citing excessive regulation and diminished profitability.
Further concerns have emerged regarding potential traffic congestion around the Haulover Creek Bridge, the primary gateway into Belize City along the George Price Highway. Harrison indicated that traffic management would be delegated to specialized authorities within the Belize Police Department.
The committee maintains that tradition must occasionally yield to progress for the event’s continued success, though this philosophical stance has done little to appease disappointed spectators and vendors who view these changes as undermining the event’s cultural significance and economic accessibility.