Thursday, July 31, 2008

5th Annual Rosarito Beach Harley Run for Children of Baja a Roaring Success

ROSARITO BEACH, BAJA CALIFORNIA--- The roar of hundreds of motorcycles driving into Rosarito Beach caused some heads to turn this past weekend --- but it was with appreciation that the Rosarito Beach Harley Run was back in town.
The annual Harley Run is a charity event which literally brings in truck loads of desperately needed clothing, shoes, toys, school supplies and other items to aid the children of Baja.
This year’s run culminated Saturday at Papas & Beer, one of the main sponsors of the event, for a day of partying and later passing out donations which were collected and dispersed by Rosarito DIF, Desarrollo Integral de la Familia http://dif.sip.gob.mx/.
DIF provides shelter, food, clothing, medical, social services and much other assistance to children and families in need.
“We thank everyone for coming to our city and all that you do to help the children of our community,” Mayor Hugo Torres told the riders and friends who applauded him vigorously.
The organizers of the Harley Run, Martin and Sonia Resendez, were on hand along with many of their assistants to help with the passing out of the donations most of the weekend.
Sixteen Harley riders who wanted to do more than just have a good time stayed over to help out as well. On Sunday at the playground by the DIF community center, approximately 80 children received toys, school supplies and stuffed animals.
On Monday in a small community about one mile south of Puerto Nuevo, the world famous Lobster Village, the last of the donations were dispersed to about 100 children.
Unfortunately, the supply ran out before all of the children could receive something, so the riders and others reached into their own pockets and started handing out dollar bills, Harley posters and magazines.
They also bought out the entire ice cream supplies of three different ice cream venders who happened to be nearby so that no child walked away empty handed.
“It was perfect weekend,” said Hugo Rivas, one of the organizers. “Seeing those kids’ faces light up when they received their gift made it perfect.”

Baja, a Safe Place to Visit




I will like to inform you of the following, in order to create a better environment for visitors to Baja California, we are pleased to share a few of the actions that are taking place in coordination with authorities from the three levels of Government (Municipal-Estate-Federal) in order to assure a safe and pleasant stay for travelers to our State.

First of all, it should be underlined that Baja California maintains a very welcoming and positive attitude towards visitors, the same that historically has made us one of the preferred destinations for tourist from the United States and from all over the world.

While in the latter part of 2007 a number of isolated incidents took place, corrective undertakings where implemented by the authorities which have proven to benefit those who travel in our State. A good indicator was Easter and Spring Break vacation, as expectations where surpassed when over 380 thousand national and foreign visitors traveled throughout Baja California without an incident worth mentioning, also important events like the Rosarito-Ensenada bike ride with more than 5,000 attendees, the famous Off Road Events, Baja 250 & Baja 500, Important Holidays Like Memorial Day & 4 July, all took place with out mayor incidents, the summer is developing quite well, hotel occupancy on weekends are between 70% to 100%.

Among the efforts in place, the following should be mentioned:

• We Starting on Avenida Internacional and along the border zone of Tijuana a tourism assistance effort with motorcycle guides to orient our visitors is ongoing.

• Our Visitor Assistance Hotline 078 was improved. This toll free service provides visitors with information and assistance when necessary 365 days a year.

• We now have sixteen Visitor Information Centers available throughout the State.

• We have produced and are distributing over two million “safety tips” brochures that include a map as well as useful information for our visitors (you can down load them from our web site).

• We have upgraded and in some cases relocated our offices in order to be closer to visitors and provide better service.

• We are maintaining a closer working relationship with law enforcement agencies as well as the highway patrol to disseminate useful information and to assure they provide timely assistance to visitors when necessary.

• Bilingual operators are now available at our Emergency Phone Line 066 which can also be accessed once here from any US cellular phone, by dialing 911 or 112 from European cellular providers.

• We increased the roadside assistance service provided by the “Green Angels” .

• A new internet link is available on our website www.discoverbajacalifornia.com so that our visitors may describe their Baja California experience. This space is available to for, suggestions and even complaints..


In so far as the City Authorities are concerned:

• The new Tourism Police is now in service in the city of Rosarito Beach.

• Also in Rosarito Beach, a citizen watch group was formed with 300 volunteers to oversee that visitors have a pleasant experience while there. .

• In the City of Tijuana, law enforcement presence has been addressed and drastic measures are in place to prosecute police officers that act unethically.

• In the City of Ensenada a training program has been implemented focused on bilingual tourism police officers.

This has been a summary of some of the important actions that we have implemented to assure our visitors a pleasant stay while in Baja California. For additional information please visit our webpage at www.discoverbajacalifornia.com.


Sincerely:

Raul Aragon Castro
Delegate of the Tourism Secretariat for the State
of Baja California in Rosarito Beach.

www.remax-baja.com
www.bajainvestment.com

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

What´s going on at Rosarito Beach, Baja California



City-Sponsored "Golden State Classic" a Huge Success The Golden State Classic, produced through VARA, the Vintage Auto Racing Association, was held at the famous Auto Club Speedway (formerly the California Speedway) in Fontana, California on July 12 and 13 where Mayor Torres and Laura Wong, President of the Rosarito Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, were among the representatives from Rosarito and were featured in an at-track interview. "It was the first time the city has sponsored a major racing event in Southern California and it truly was exceptional," said Hugo Torres, the Mayor of Rosarito Beach. The Mayor also talked to a drivers' meeting where he mentioned that Rosarito would be interested in exploring the possibility of establishing some sort of race track in or nearby the city.



Both Mayor Torres and Ms. Wong were taken for a pace lap around the 2.8-mile track in a convertible with the top down at speeds of 120 mph and more. "I have never experienced those kinds of speeds and it gives one a better perspective of what it must be like to actually be in the race," said a smiling Ms. Wong,.
The Convention & Visitors Bureau had an information booth at the raceway for both days and passed out about 1,000 information packets to people interested in Rosarito. Ms. Wong happily informed the crowds that "Rosarito Beach was waiting to welcome them all with open arms" and many of the race fans indicated that they had previously visited Rosarito at one time or another and would look forward to returning.
At least three cars carried Team Rosarito stickers: A Nissan 240Z, an MG Sprite and an open-wheel Van Diemen. The two main Rosarito drivers were Efrain Olivares, Jr., who had to drop out because of mechanical problems, and Efrain Olivares who won in his class. ______________________________________________
Inauguration of Mosaico Mexicano - July 18th Through August 10

The 13th edition of Feria Rosarito 2008 began on Friday July 18 at the grounds of Plaza San Fernando on Blvd. Benito Juarez. (the empty shopping mall at the east center of town across from the old Commercial) where Mayor Hugo Torres launched the first edition of the artistic, cultural and culinary festival.
Organized by the city with artistic representations from states including Michoacan, Puebla, Guerrero and others, it promises to be an important addition to the events that the city has to offer its visitors and residents of the cultural richness that Mexico has to offer the rest of the world. There will be all kinds of music and entertainment, dancing, art, clothing, jewelry, and especially food. Wonderful, delicious food from many different regions.
The program will begin daily at 6 p.m. and end at midnight on weekdays while ending at 2 a.m. on the weekends. An exception will be on Saturday, July 26 when the program will begin at noon. Try and attend as many days as possible because the entertainment and some exhibits will constantly be changing. _________________________________________________________________________________
Good 4th of July Turn Out Reported by City
"Many of the city's hotels were at or near 100% occupancy over the 4th of July holiday weekend," said Raul Aragon, Rosarito's delegate to the Baja State Secretary of Tourism office.
This is a positive indication that the summer is definitely showing signs of increased tourism.
"We have made a major effort to increase security and comfort for our visitors," said Mayor Hugo Torres. "With the new bi-lingual Tourist Police Force and 24-hour ombudsman office for tourists along with tourist information booths on the weekends, our guests can feel more peace of mind and confidence in coming to visit our city."
The 4th of July, traditionally one of the better weekends of the summer, was in fact the best weekend of this summer to date with many of Rosarito's hotels booked to capacity. But the best part was that again, there were no reported incidents of crime against tourists.
This marks an incident-free summer that actually began with Spring Break. That fact is a powerful testimonial to the new administration's commitment to making Rosarito a safe, secure and fun place to visit for anyone who has wanted to but hesitated over concerns for their safety.
It is also something that city officials are very proud of and would like more people north of the border to know about since Rosarito's economy largely depends on tourism.
"It's nice to see that hotel occupancy is back on the rise," said Rosarito Convention & Visitors Bureau President Laura Wong.
"We are working hard to counter the negative publicity raised by media reports connected to the government's crackdown on drug cartels, which has nothing to do with tourists but nevertheless creates a scare with Americans," she added.--------------------------------------------------------------------------
City Hosting First-Time Mountain Bike Stage Race It is called the Baja Epic
A grueling four day mountain bike competition that will take contestants over the steep mountains and hot deserts of Baja to be held on November 5, 6, 7, and 8, 2008. Starting with Stage One from Rosarito Beach to the Hacienda Santa Veronica, in Tecate, then Stage Two from Santa Veronica to Ensenada's High Sierra de Juárez, then Stage Three from the foothills of Valle de la Trinidad to the Off-Road's world famous Mike's Sky Ranch and back to Valle via the gnarly Simpson downhill, finalizing with Stage Four from Ensenada back to Rosarito Beach. The challenging course covers more than 300 miles and 24,000 feet of climbing on single track and dirt roads. "The Baja Epic will be a little bit more fun than most existing stage races," says Armando Carrasco, president of Too Much Fun Promotions, the race organizer. "Racers and guests will have the opportunity to stay at host hotels every night. We will pick up participants from the San Diego Airport and transport them to the start of the event in Rosarito. If a racer wants to handle their own transportation and lodging, we have a discounted entry fee for them too. We're going to have an exiting race where you can have as much comfort or discomfort as you please," he went on to say. Opportunities are still available for title, stage and supporting sponsorship packages. This event is expected to attract participants from north of the border as well as places as far off as Europe and South America, making it a global opportunity for brand exposure. "This is an incredible chance for European distance enthusiasts. The exchange rate of the dollar, the exotic locale of Mexico, and the warm weather compared to Europe in November makes this an ideal race for the end of the year," says celebrity starter Hans "No Way" Rey. For more information on the race go www.bajaepic.com or about sponsoring opportunities call Steve Boehmke at 714-633-9955. ______________________________________________
What's Happening in Town?

ROSARITO CITY FAIR 2008 - JULY 18 to AUGUST 10. Come with your family and enjoy this great event from the 18th of July through the 10th of August, located across from Quinta Plaza. We will have attractions for everyone. Live music, arts and crafts, carnival rides, activities for children, extreme zone, food court and much more. www.bajaevents.com.mx CEVICHE BOWL - AUGUST 1, 2, 3. The Primo Tapia Sand Dunes passing Puerto Nuevo will be the site for this 3 day extreme event that combines an exhibition/competition of Extreme Motocross Freestyle with international and national riders, Skateboard Contest, Bodybuilding Contest, a football (soccer) game between Tijuana and Mexicali, all with live bands, DJ´s, reggae fest and much more. For more information: 664-1995361 xtreme_p33@yahoo.com ROSARITO SHOOTING CLUB "STANDARD GUN TOURNAMENT" -AUGUST 3. Come and compete in this exciting event!, Standard Gun Shooting Competition, 22 Metal Silhouettes. At Rosarito Shooting Club Range, More Info at: +52 (661) 612-1028 clubdetiro_rosarito@yahoo.com SUMMER FESTIVAL - SEPTEMBER 4, 5, 6, 7. Including the "Steak & Lobster Festival," "Rosarito Art & Furniture Expo" and "The Pavilion of Tequilas." The most spectacular events of summer come together for this festival from the making of furniture, to our regional food tasting of steak and lobster and the best tequilas combined with live music, mariachi and folkloric dancing. Come and join us at the Rosarito Pavilion.For more information: www.bajaevents.com.mx THE BEACH MOTOCROSS SERIES ROUND 1 - SEPTEMBER 6. State Motocross Championships with the best riders from both sides of the border competing on a specially designed race track with jumps and obstacles in a circuit of approximately 2 miles. Participants of all levels compete, from children in peewees category to adults in the professional category. Each race is for points to determine the best racer in each category. For more information: 619.819.6323 www.toomuchfun.com.mx ROSARITO-ENSENADA BIKE RIDE - SEPTEMBER 27. Head to Baja with 7,500 of your closest friends for this award-winning 50-mile bicycle ride along the Pacific Coast and inland through rural countryside from Rosarito Beach to Ensenada. Then join us at the Fiesta Line Fiesta on the Ensenada waterfront for food, drinks and live music until sunset.For more information: 1-800-282-9352 www.rosaritoensenada.com Please visit us in Rosarito Beach for a fabulous experience and memorable time. Other information about Rosarito activities is always available at www.rosarito.org. For events for the local expatriate community, visit www.rosaritotowncrier.com

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Mexico's Legendary Rosarito Beach Hotel Becomes A 500-Room Resort With Aug. 2 Gala Celebrations



Tuesday July 8, 12:00 pm ET
ROSARITO BEACH, Mexico--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It started out as a 12-room hunting lodge in 1925 and for over eight decades it has had a magical hold on Baja California and the millions who have visited or stayed there.






The grand opening ceremony for the 17-story Pacifico Tower at Mexico's legendary Rosarito Beach Hotel will be held Aug. 2 (Photo: Business Wire). View Multimedia Gallery

On August 2, the landmark Rosarito Beach Hotel will officially become a 500 room and suite resort as it hosts the grand opening celebration for its spectacular oceanfront 17-story, 271-suite Pacifico Tower.
The ribbon cutting will be at 5 p.m. Three by-invitation-only themed celebrations will start at 5:30 in the Pacifico Tower, plus a fourth in the hotel’s garden area for all guests. Reservations are now being accepted and early reservations are suggested.
More than 1,000 people are expected. The Governor of Baja California, José Guadalupe Osuna Millán, will be among those on hand to participate in the celebration of this historic occasion.
In 83 years the Rosarito Beach Hotel has had guests including celebrities and royalty from around the world, so many in fact that it spawned the birth of the popular tourist town of Rosarito Beach which literally grew up around it.
It inspired Hollywood stars to visit there, including Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Orson Wells, Rita Hayworth and John Wayne, and royalty including Ali Kahn, the son of the Shah of Iran, along with several presidents of Mexico.
The Pacifico Tower marks the first time that the option of ownership has ever been offered to the public, as fully furnished suites are offered for sale with the option of guests placing them in the hotel rental program.
The Rosarito Beach Hotel is now in its third generation of family ownership. The principal owner is Hugo Torres, the mayor of Rosarito Beach, a position he holds for the second time.
“This is more than just an expansion of the hotel, which we have had on numerous occasions in the past; it is an expansion of our hotel family,” says Laura Torres, daughter to Hugo and executive director of the Hotel.
“Each new suite owner is not only a guest but so much more because they have purchased a part of our history. Everyone here at the Hotel is looking forward to this event that commemorates the beginning of a new chapter in the life of this Baja landmark.”
With the addition of the stunning Pacifico to two existing towers, the hotel now offers many more amenities for its guests, including an infinity pool and rooftop restaurant plus a greatly expanded selection of accommodations and rate options.
The new tower isn’t all that’s new. The hotel has undergone extensive renovations of its existing facilities, which will be most noticed in the grand lobby where murals have been restored to their original brilliance. A new state of the art conference center is scheduled to break ground in December.
Following an extraordinary past, the Rosarito Beach Hotel is ready to unveil its promise to the future with the grand opening of the Pacifico Tower. Suites in the Pacifico Tower will be available as of Aug. 1 and can be reserved now.
Media Contact: Ron Raposa
619-948-3740
ronraposa@hotmail.com
(A limited number of invitations is available to media wanting to cover the event. Those wishing to do so should contact Mr. Raposa as soon as possible.)
MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5725638
Contact:Rosarito Beach Hotel & Resort
Ron Raposa, 619-948-3740
ronraposa@hotmail.com
Source: Rosarito Beach Hotel & Resort

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Radio Program on Baja California to tell it as it really is




July 3, 2008
The barrage of sensationalized and often rehashed bad news media reports and most days anti-Mexico onslaught voiced by far right radio and TV talk shows has provided a distorted view of the real Baja California. “The Baja Connection with Patrick Osio,” a one hour radio program, will change that.
“The Baja Connection with Patrick Osio,” premiers on KOOL 1040 AM radio on July 7, 2008. Renowned local columnist Patrick Osio brings a different perspective on Baja and how issues and events impact the binational communities. The 1-hour daily talk show will air Monday through Friday, from 6:00 to 7:00 PM with expert guests and listener interaction, discussing the economic interdependence of the San Diego-Baja California border region informing and exposing listeners to the vast opportunities while avoiding the pitfalls.
Patrick writes the award winning column, The Connection, for the San Diego Metropolitan Magazine, the premier business magazine covering the San Diego-Baja California region. Patrick is also the Editor of HispanicVista.com, an Internet public interest publication, which has won him recognition as one of the 50 most influential Hispanic journalists in the US.
The Monday through Friday, 6-7 PM radio program, will be devoted to discussions with recognized leaders in various sectors:
Monday - Border infrastructure, transportation, manu-facturing, trade and commerce, binational environment, and education
Tuesday - Baja Real Estate: Opportunities & Pitfalls - discussion on property buying, trust agreements, title insurance, mortgage financing, real estate developments, time share and fractioning.
Wednesday - Medical services: - how to check out doctors, dental, eye care, surgical services, vanity surgery, comparative costs, quality of treatments, US insurance coverage, assisted living and Alzheimer care.
Thursday - Tourism: Safety & Security, border crossing and border security, US passport requirements, what to do, what to see, where to go, where to eat, bargain hunting, and tours.
Friday - Retirement in Baja: Who should, who shouldn’t, how to, best developments, costs, activities, services, and small business ownership opportunities for Americans, and Mexican government requirements.
The debut Monday, July 7 program will tackle the border infrastructure: The long North bound border crossing times found by the San Diego Association of Governments study to cost the region in excess of $8-billion annually in lost commerce and idle time. In response, the expansion of the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce Economic study indicating that adding East Otay Mesa Port of Entry would increment the regional economy by over $31-billion during its first 10 years. And, building a air-terminal annex on Otay Mesa with a bridge connecting to the Tijuana airport would help alleviate border waiting time, reduce border pollution and provide additional air service to San Diego.
“The Baja Connection with Patrick Osio” is being produced by long time media and radio personality, Hector Molina, as part of Trans-Border Communications media production initiatives. The program will also be broadcasted live on the Internet and archived on various web sites for listening on demand.

Friday, July 4, 2008

Narnia Moves To Mexico



By Rafe Telsch: 2008-07-03 10:10:18


When C.S. Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia he made one of the rules of his magical land pretty clear - you could never travel to Narnia the same way twice. The path to Narnia changes. Now the movies are following that with a change in filming venue. Both of the previous chapters of Narnia, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, were shot on location in New Zealand. Now production on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which takes place largely on a ship, will move to Rosarito, Mexico to take advantage of large soundstages and a water tank at Baja Studios - the same tank used in Titanic and Master and Commander according to Variety. Filming locations are often selected by budgetary costs. New Zealand offered tax incentives that led to the first two films basing themselves there, and utilizing local special effects houses Weta Digital and Weta Workshop. However, with so much of the third movie taking place on board the Dawn Treader, a site move was needed. Moving the whole production to Mexico allows the studio to cut costs instead of moving cast and crew back and forth between countries. An on location shot in Australia is still planned, however. As you might expect, studio executives are denying the move has anything to do with Caspian’s less impressive box office take. New Zealand’s film industry will take a hit by losing the film, having garnered almost $200 million between the previous two films.