Despite all of the roadblocks, both economic and geographic, the Cancun development was officially approved in 1969. Development began in earnest in January of 1970 when the first technicians and workers arrived. The first steps were to open a highway between the island and Puerto Juarez, construct an airstrip and the creation of a master plan for the entire development. The "master plan" consisted of three smaller initiatives: construct a tourism zone with resorts, hotels, shopping and marinas; construct a residential area for permanent residents with all of the amenities of a city (*roads, schools, hospitals, markets, etc.); construction of an airport to accommodate international travelers.
The tourist, or Hotel zone, was then sub divided into three areas: the first area is Bahia de Mujeres to Punta Cancun and the coastal area up to the Bojorquez lagoon; the second part from the Bojorquez to Punta Nizuc, and the final phase from Punta Nizuc all the way to the territorial reserve. The hotel zone was fashioned after the concept of subdivisions (*or "supermanzanas") and was built as a series of long city blocks punctuated by large avenues, the first of which would become known as the city's main street, Tulum Avenue. City Hall was constructed on the largest lot available in the area.
The sheer size of the project and the engineering required to establish the Hotel Zone was daunting, to say the least: (*according to cancun.travel) "the equivalent of 240 hectares / 593 acres of topsoil was brought in by trucks: 100 (247 acres) for the golf course, 60 (148 acres) for lot 18 A and 60 for the area surrounding the El Rey ruins and fill for over 80 hectares /198 acres (65 ha / 161 acres to widen the island and 15 ha / 37 acres for the airport road). Some 372,000 m3 (13,137.055 ft3) of mangrove systems were dredged to form Siegfried and Nichupt Channels to improve water exchange between the sea and the lagoons."
The construction was still not fully completed when the very first hotels in the region were opened for the public. The international airport was completed with over 2.600 meters of runway to accommodate double-wide planes full of tourists.
Finally, the government agencies of Fonatur and Infratur were merged to create the new National Foundation for the Promotion of Tourism. In the same year, Quintana Roo was changed to statehood. Cancun became an official piece of the Benito Juarez district.
The tourist, or Hotel zone, was then sub divided into three areas: the first area is Bahia de Mujeres to Punta Cancun and the coastal area up to the Bojorquez lagoon; the second part from the Bojorquez to Punta Nizuc, and the final phase from Punta Nizuc all the way to the territorial reserve. The hotel zone was fashioned after the concept of subdivisions (*or "supermanzanas") and was built as a series of long city blocks punctuated by large avenues, the first of which would become known as the city's main street, Tulum Avenue. City Hall was constructed on the largest lot available in the area.
The sheer size of the project and the engineering required to establish the Hotel Zone was daunting, to say the least: (*according to cancun.travel) "the equivalent of 240 hectares / 593 acres of topsoil was brought in by trucks: 100 (247 acres) for the golf course, 60 (148 acres) for lot 18 A and 60 for the area surrounding the El Rey ruins and fill for over 80 hectares /198 acres (65 ha / 161 acres to widen the island and 15 ha / 37 acres for the airport road). Some 372,000 m3 (13,137.055 ft3) of mangrove systems were dredged to form Siegfried and Nichupt Channels to improve water exchange between the sea and the lagoons."
The construction was still not fully completed when the very first hotels in the region were opened for the public. The international airport was completed with over 2.600 meters of runway to accommodate double-wide planes full of tourists.
Finally, the government agencies of Fonatur and Infratur were merged to create the new National Foundation for the Promotion of Tourism. In the same year, Quintana Roo was changed to statehood. Cancun became an official piece of the Benito Juarez district.
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