Land Holdings: Resorts and Vacation Sites in Latin America

September 25, 2007

Used as vacation sites, entertainment luxury resorts, meeting places for corporate associ ates, etc. [Note: This is by no means a complete listing.] Virgin Islands: Caneel Bay Plantation, St. John: Exclusive plantation resort of Laurance Rockefeller, developed on the northeast section of nine-mile long St. John. (One-half of St. John is taken up by the Virgin Islands National Park which was also developed by Laurance. Capt. and Mrs. Charles Robb (LBJ's son-in-law and daughter) honeymooned there in 1967. Estate Good Hope: A 4,000 acre resort on the southwest coast of St. Croix acquired by Laurance, who set out to enlarge it in 1959. "To further aid tourism on the island, which definitely has a friend at Chase Manhattan Bank [which has eight branches in the Virgin Islands and plans more], Laurance and brother David Rockefeller recently unveiled plans to build an 18-hole championship golf course on St. Croix" (Barron's, June 24, 1963). Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands: Another Laurance Rockefeller resort project which opened in 1964 with 50 rooms (to be enlarged later). Puerto Rico: Dorado Hilton Hotel and Dorado Hilton Estates: A 1,500 acre resort and residential project 15 miles west of San Juan; opened in December, 1958. Developed by Laurance Rockefeller. Includes an 18-hole golf course, two miles of secluded beach, two pools, clay tennis courts, horseback riding stables, aviary, tropical garden, marina, two clubhouses and homesites for lease (prices for house and lot start at $22,900). Where Gov. Nelson Rockefeller entertained the 51st Annual Conference of Governors in 1959. For colorful descriptive brochures, write: Dorado Hilton Estates, 3 West 57th Street, New York, New York. St. Barthelemy, West Indies: David Rockefeller owns a vacation house on this Caribbean island. Venezuela: Monte Sacro Ranch: Over 6,500 acres in Chirigua about 135 miles from Caracas. Most of it is in grazing area for over 400 head of Santa Gertrudis cattle (originally bred in Texas). Has a 12-room one-story ranch house (built around a 30 foot swimming pool), tennis courts, riding stable, and private landing strip. It is the Venezuelan ranch most frequented by Nelson Rockefeller and is where he vacationed for one week after his successful campaign for governor of New York in 1958.. Palo Gordo Farm: Near Valencia in state of Portuguesa, central Venezuela. Site of project for commercial rice development in Venezuela started in 1950. In cooperation with U.S. Department of Agriculture and Venezuelan Agricultural Ministry, has devel- oped three blight-resistant strains now widely used. In 1960, Venezuelan Farm Workers Federation asked the National Agrarian Reform Institute to expropriate the farm under Venezuelan land reform program. Has-private air strip.-9- Mata de Barbara: Extensive cattle ranch in the plains (llanos) country of Orinoco Basin. Has private air strip. Ecuador: Nelson Rockefeller has a huge coffee plantation near Guayaquil. In late 1968, over 120 armed police assisted by a helicopter searched for two executives of his Coffee Robusta plantation who had been abducted to add leverage to the demands for a new labor agreement. Brazil: Nelson Rockefeller owns several farms in Brazil.

Tags:


Like this article? Support our work. Donate now.