The city of Tampico, Mexico is considering the introduction of casinos as a way to boost tourism in the area.
Located on the Gulf of Mexico along the southern border of Texas, Tampico once was a popular tourist destination, particularly among the spring-break crowd, but a spate of gang violence has driven visitors away. Last August, officials in both the United States and Mexico urged Americans not to travel to the state.
According to G3 Newswire, thousands of residents have moved away from Tampico because of drug-related gang activity, and the downtown historical district has lost much of its business.
Secretary of Urban Development Carlos de la Rosa Durán said local casinos on nearby Isleta Pérez could be combined with hotels, restaurants and a marina. Isleta Pérez is five minutes away and could be an arrival point for tourists arriving by boat. Presently, the island is “all but abandoned” apart from a number of small manufacturing businesses.
“The casinos that work in the metropolitan area are customized spaces and it is desirable that the projects arise from scratch and are confined to a point like the Isleta,” said Rosa Duran. The plan would be developed after the approval of the Partial Urban Planning and Development Program of the Historic Centre and Laguna del Carpintero, an urban renewal program scheduled for the area.
The project includes the renovation of the Tampico market and historic buildings, which is why both medium and long-term remodeling plans are now under consideration, according to Rosa Duran.
Tampico is the fifth-largest city in Tamaulipas, with a population of 314,000 within the city limits and 929,000 in the greater metropolitan area.
