City of Puerto Vallarta Signs Maintenance Contracts for Malecón and Pier

The Conventions and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the municipal government of Puerto Vallarta recently signed a cooperation agreement for the maintenance of the Los Muertos Pier and the Malecón (boardwalk), which both are in need of important maintenance. The director of the CVB, Miguel Andrés Hernández, said the agreement activated a master plan for rehabilitation and maintenance of the two areas because they are the city’s most important tourist assets. Hernández said the agreements have been negotiated since October 2014 and the CVB is pleased with their completion and signatures. “We are pleased the agreement was finally signed and approved by the municipal government, which will allow us to advance this priority,” he said. The first step will be an independent inspection of both areas by companies specializing in the field to diagnose the problems and priorities in rehabilitation. Officials say rehabilitation includes painting, planting, tourist signs, and sculpture rehabilitation. Unfortunately, lighting issues were not addressed in the maintenance agreements, a common complaint by tourists and residents, and an issue largely ignored by the city. Lighting is under a separate contract that was won by a lighting company under the accusations they were awarded the contract as political favor. The same company also won lighting contracts in Guadalajara where they have political ties and the people of Guadalajara find themselves in the dark. The current maintenance and rehabilitation contract is expected to cost between 2.5 and 5 million pesos with the expectation of the plan to be in place within the next 45 to 60 days.