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Westin Roco Ki Beach & Golf Resort and Residences
Unfolding in Dominican Republic
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SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - January 25, 2007 - This has been a busy year for Rôco Ki, the multi-billion-dollar luxury resort and residential development underway in the Punta Cana area of the Dominican Republic, as Phase I readies for opening in winter 2007/2008. 

In 2006, Sarasota-based Michael Saunders & Company was appointed exclusive broker for the new 2,700-acre luxury oceanfront community and a U.S. $85-million long-term loan package was signed and approved to finance the continuing development of Rôco Ki. Upon opening, Rôco Ki will be one of the largest resort community developments in the Caribbean. 

Rôco Ki looks northward on one of the most scenic untouched beaches in the Caribbean. The unique nature of the site has earned designation as one of the world�s finest by UNESCO (United National Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). 

Phase I, now in active construction, will include: 

  • The Westin Roco Ki Beach & Golf Resort, a Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. Hotel, with a combined total of more than 327 lodging accommodations and more than 130 Westin-branded condominium residences in one, two and three-bedroom designs, an impressive conference center accommodating up to 500 persons, seven restaurants, a variety of bars, gourmet market, 24-hour room service and an 18,000-square-foot full-service spa. 
  • The Campo Alto Verde Nick Faldo signature championship 18-hole, par-72 golf course which winds along the beach through a tropical mangrove forest and stretches across the property�s headland with stunning cliff-top views of the sea. 
  • A botanical garden reflective of the area�s plant life and ecological features. Tobacco plants, dating back to the time of Christopher Columbus, have been found on the grounds. 
  • An interpretive museum showcasing ancient artifacts and relics representative of some of Rôco Ki�s earliest inhabitants, the Taino Indians. 
The Rôco Ki Vision

Richard Knorr, Founder and Principal of Chicago-based Richard Knorr International, is Rôco Ki�s visionary and developer. Knorr�s work is already recognized in the Dominican Republic for the design and construction of the Acropolis office and retail center in Santo Domingo. 
�I fell in love with the beautiful surroundings of the beaches, mangroves and cliffs in the Macao Beach area near Punta Cana, where we are building Rôco Ki,� said Knorr. �It�s something I never saw anywhere else in the Caribbean. I started to learn about the Taino Indians and the artifacts they left behind in the area.� 

Knorr found the scenery and the rich Taino heritage to create a perfect combination for the concept of the Rôco Ki resort community. In fact, Rôco Ki�s approximate translation means �honoring the land� in Taino. 

�Honoring the land and honoring the Dominican Republic is what we are doing every step of the way with Rôco Ki,� Knorr summarized. 

Exclusive Residences

The exclusive residences being sold at Rôco Ki is another big part of the success story. 

�Rôco Ki will add an entirely new dimension to the Dominican Republic, which is becoming the new place to be in the Caribbean. It will have new and different luxury enclaves, easy air access and unique cultural experiences,� said Michael Saunders, CEO, President and Founder of Michael Saunders & Company. 

Rôco Ki�s private residences will be ready for occupancy beginning in 2007. The selection includes: 

� Beachfront Residences. Three and four-bedrooms, dominated by soaring hand-tied palm roofs. 
� Jungle Luxe® Bungalows. One and two-bedroom jungle bungalows with views of the sea and forest. 
� Cliffside Villas. Stunning, 3,400 square-foot villas offering front-row seats to the magnificent Caribbean views. 
� EcoDream® Villas. Impressive 6,200 square-foot residences with sweeping Caribbean vistas with entire floor dedicated to a gourmet kitchen, plus living and dining rooms and featuring wrap-around terraces on the second and third floors, with spa on private roof deck. 
� Cacique Terraces. Enclave of studio, one and two-bedroom condominium residences between the cliff-frontage fairways of the golf course and The Westin Rôco Ki Beach & Golf Resort. 
Rôco Ki�s Future

Those who become a member of the Rôco Ki family will see more upscale facilities and services, and future additions for the next 10 years. 
Future phases will include: 

  • A full-service, world-class marina, slated for opening by the end of 2009. 
  • Other high-end hotels, within the next 10 years. 
  • Three more golf courses, within the next 10 years. 
  • A watersports center offering a myriad of water recreation activities like diving and snorkeling, sailing, kayaking and parasailing. 
  • Retail shopping areas accented by features that bring the culture, hospitality and color of the Dominican Republic to life, within the next couple years. 
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Contact:

Rôco Ki (Press Contact in the United States):
YPB&R, Orlando, Fla.
Kathy Hernandez, 407-838-1828
[email protected]

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Also See: Geostar, Inc. Names Starwood to Operate 315-room Westin Roco Ki Beach & Golf Resort Now Under Construction Near Punta Cana, Dominican Republic / May 2005
Dominican Republic Allocates $30 million to Improvements in Puerto Plata Related to Beach Preservation, Water Processing and Sanitation Systems; Desires to Maximize Use for Substantial Boost in Tourism / August 2006
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