Continue reading »]]> Monday August 8th 2011 was the date chosen to announce the coming of “Thunder on the Beach”, a brand new race track and event venue being built in the sea-side city of Puerto Penasco (or as it is known in the USA “Rocky Point”).  This announcement was made at a meeting held at CANACO, or the Chamber of Commerce, in downtown Puerto Penasco.

Alongside Bob Livingston the founder of Thunder on the Beach and his business partner Darren Dodd,  was the President of the OCV, Hector Vasquez Mercado and business owner, Oscar Palacio.  In attendance were members of the local press, all hungry for the news of this event.

The meeting lasted over an hour and highlighted the positive effects of having such an event in Puerto Penasco.  It will attract not only drivers, support crew and family members but also thousands of spectators, who will come from the USA to experience the first ever sprint car race in Sonora, Mexico!  The economic impact on the small community of Puerto Penasco should be enormous.

What types of cars will race?
There will be 4 divisions involved in the “Fall Classic” as it will be called:

1. Sprint Cars
2. USRA Modifieds
3. Mini Sprints
4. Dwarf Cars.

With close to 80 cars in the contest it is sure to be a super-exciting, fun two days of racing in Mexico.   The construction of this third-of-a-mile banked track will mean a huge boost to the activities that can take place in Puerto Penasco.  The Fall Classic is only the start to what will be a brand new event to Puerto Penasco.  In spring 2012, we will have Monster Trucks, off road racing and many other racing events.

Racing in Puerto Penasco is now a reality.  It is coming! And, you can be a part of it.  Race tickets are only $15.00 (or 150 mx pesos) and kids under 10 are FREE!  Food and beverage will be available at the track. Passes for the pit area where you can actually be up close to the cars and drivers will also be available.  VIP Seating with private food and drink vendors will be available. Details will follow.

There are advertising opportunities to highlight your business to the thousands who are coming to this event.  Space is limited; to find out more contact Russ Black at Penasco Recreation.  Local call: 638-113-4591Thunder on the Beach . . . because “Racing knows NO Borders!”

Continue reading »]]> Inaugural tournament by Vidanta Golf kicks off a new tradition that aims to build comraderie for both nations

Puerto Penasco, Mexico (PRWEB) June 10, 2011

Vidanta Golf, the largest golf course operator in Mexico and subsidiary of Grupo Vidanta, announces the results of the first ever international golf tournament between Mexico and the United States. The Uniting Nations Cup tournament resulted in the U.S. team emerging with a 56-44 win.

The tournament debuted May 12 -15, 2011 at the Peninsula de Cortez golf course, a Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus II co-design at the Mayan Palace resort in Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico, and featured a Ryder Cup format.

The U.S. team was captained by Scottsdale’s Vito Berlingeri, who was also the tournament director along with Andrew Gilchrist of the Peninsula De Cortes Golf Course. “The event exceeded our expectations,” Berlingeri said. “All of the matches were very close and our amateurs played their hearts out. We won the overall matches in terms of points, but the most important thing was that golf brought the two countries together and so many new friendships were formed. There were a lot of emotional moments.”

The 10 professionals from PGA Mexico beat their US counterparts all three days for a total of 13 1/2 points to 6 1/2; however, the US amateurs dominated their matches for a combined score of 56 points vs 44 overall points for Team Mexico, making the US Team outright winners of the cup.

The objective of the Uniting Nations Cup was to promote friendship, commercial and cultural relations between the two countries. “We utilized golf as an ambassador,” Berlingeri said. “What developed was way beyond our expectations. Golf brought the two countries together.”
Ten Southwest Section PGA Professionals competed against 10 Mexican PGA Professionals, along with 40 amateurs selected by the golf organizations of both countries.

Berlingeri said the Inaugural Uniting Nations Cup will promote goodwill between the two countries for a long time. “We will make this an annual event and utilize the game of golf to continue to strengthen our relationships,” he said. “We expect it to be bigger and better next year.” The Uniting Nations Cup is scheduled to take place annually at the Mayan Palace for the next five years.

Among the PGA Professionals the SWSPGA invited were Don Yrene, director of golf at The Golf Club Scottsdale and five-time Southwest Section PGA Player of the Year, Brandon Smith, head golf professional at Ventana Canyon Golf & Racquet Club in Tucson. Mike Wright, former president of the Southwest Section PGA and director of instruction at Superstition Springs Golf Club in Mesa; Rich Elias, Head Professional Canoa Ranch,; Greg Avant, Director of Golf at Lone Tree Golf Club in Chandler; ; Bob Pancratz, Life Member PGA; Blayne Hobbs, Lead Instructor, Reid/West Golf Academy; Jon Chaffee, Lead Instructor Talking Stick GC, , Jeff Yurkiewicz, Lead Instructor Grayhawk, and Mike Malaska, Director Of Instructor Superstition Mountain.

Guillermo Padres Elias, Governor of Sonora, and Bob Walkup, Mayor of Tucson, attended the opening ceremonies.

The world-class Nicklaus Design golf course at Mayan Palace Puerto Peñasco, in the words of Javier Licea, Executive Director of the PGA in Mexico, “is in excellent condition and is a course that is challenging and ready for the pros to fully enjoy. It is indisputably among the best courses in Mexico, done by the grand designer of golf courses himself, Jack Nicklaus. The course encompasses his trademark style of enhancing the natural environment that is both challenging and enjoyable.”

Learn more about Vidanta Golf at http://www.vidantagolf.com.

About Grupo Vidanta

Founded by Daniel Chavez Moran in 1974, Grupo Vidanta has evolved for more than 35 years into one of Mexico’s leading developers of hotels and resorts, golf courses, vacation ownership, and tourism infrastructure, including Mexico’s first privately built and owned international airport at Puerto Penasco. For American travelers, Grupo Vidanta offers a choice of full-service luxury beach resorts in Mexico’s finest beaches, under the Grand Luxxe, Ocean Breeze, Sea Garden, Mayan Palace and Grand Mayan brands. In the near future, new hospitality brands will include Bliss, Grand Bliss and Mansions of the World. Grupo Vidanta’s Mayan Island has built and sold more than 2,000 second homes. For further information see http://www.grupovidanta.com.

About Vidanta Golf

Vidanta Golf is the largest golf course operator in Mexico. Its award winning golf courses are located in the most beautiful beaches of Mexico including: Acapulco, Los Cabos, Nuevo Vallarta, Riviera Maya and Puerto Peñasco in Sonora. To learn more about golf with Grupo Vidanta, visit us at http://www.vidantagolf.com.

Source: news.yahoo

Continue reading »]]> Rocky Point remains a safe place to visit, said Tucson mayor Bob Walkup emphatically during a visit this week to the Mexican beach town.

Walkup said that “honest, decent people” who have traveled outside the U.S. shouldn’t worry about traveling to the Mexican beach town also known as Puerto Peñasco.

“You need to be watchful no matter where you go in this world, whether it’s into Mexico, into Europe or wherever,” Walkup said. “I think for the normal traveler, this is a safe place.”
Rocky Point business owners there are seeking to reverse damage caused by the recent inclusion in the State Department’s updated travel warning for Mexico that was published on April 22. The warning advised people to exercise caution in the popular beach town because of multiple incidents of transnational criminal organization -related violence.

The mayor said he promised to help promote Rocky Point as safe destination after he heard from the owner of the Friendly Dolphin restaurant that the establishment might have to close because people are too afraid to come.

“I will go out and I will be your greatest ambassador,” Walkup said he told him. “Because this is a wonderful place and not once, not once, have I ever felt threatened as I travel into Mexico.”
Walkup was invited to the first-annual Uniting Nations Cup golf tournament, said Braden Black, who represents Long Realty Rocky Point and Castaways Rocky Point.

“I want to encourage the citizens of Arizona that this is a safe place, and that they should come down and enjoy this wonderful place,” Walkup said. “This is our Riviera. Beth (his wife) and I are down here demonstrating what a great and safe place this is.”

Source: http://azstarnet.com

Continue reading »]]> Representatives of Puerto Peñasco Convention and Visitors Bureau met recently with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of Lukeville.
Changes to the port and crossing requirements were discussed, and helpful information for travelers heading to Rocky Point on Memorial Day Weekend would like to be provided.

The port will have five lanes open for traffic, including two new lanes recently built as part of a joint project partially funded by donations from the PPECVB (Puerto Peñasco Convention and Visitor’s Bureau).  Having the lanes open should reduce wait times dramatically for travelers both as they head into Mexico and as they return back to the United States. There is also a new “Ready Lane” program that recently began at the port.

Travelers that have RFID-enabled cards will be able to use Lane #1, which is being set aside on Sundays, Mondays, and holiday weekends just for their use.  The program has been shown in other ports to reduce processing time by up to 15-20 seconds per vehicle.  The program is designed for those travelers who have the U.S. Passport Card, SENTRI trusted traveler card, new Legal Permanent Resident card, and new Border Crossing Card. Also discussed were changes to the importation requirements for eggs and egg products.  All importations of eggs or egg products now require a USDA Veterinary Services (VS) permit, regardless of whether they are for commercial or personal use. U.S. citizen travelers are reminded they now need a U.S. Passport, U.S. Passport card or other approved Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) document to enter the United States at a land border crossing.

Travelers can visit www.getyouhome.gov for more information. Visit the “Know Before You Go” section of the CBP website at http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/.

“Know Before You Go” brochures are also available at the port.”