Yucatan Developments... Your Thoughts?
There was a small news story recently that we reported, about UNAM students doing a study and proposal for a gated, planned community that would cater to extranjeros. Another recent newstory mentioned a shopping mall going up in Valladolid, filled with chain stores ranging from Italian Coffee to Burger King. Both these news stories invited a flurry of responses and comments, most of them along the line of "we don't like these kinds of developments".
>
Over the past year, Merida alone has started (and almost finished) FOUR new shopping malls. There is one now open behind the fabulously modern Liverpool shopping center that sports an ice-skating rink in the center. The Alta Brisa Mall is open now too, located next to the Star Medica Hospital. MacroPlaza Merida is anchored by a Chedraui grocery store and a Super WalMart. The last one that will be finished is called CityCenter Merida and is also located in the north part of town and will also have a Super WalMart. Between them, the new centers will open 56 new movie theatres, bringing Merida's movie screens to 86 in total. The five shopping malls that existed before these had 718 separate stores, and these four new centers will add an 420 additional stores. (Thanks to childrenofhabitat.blogspot.com for these figures). Merida has never in its history, even during the henequen boom, seen such unprecedented growth.
Having lived here for the past six years, we've watched this happen. We've enjoyed the fruits of this growth at times, and agonized about it at others. In particular, a comment sent to us privately about the planned shopping mall in Valladolid prompted us to share our thoughts on this matter. We think there is something important here that all of us who are strangers in these parts need to think about and understand. Pues, (a much-used Spanish expression that means "so" and "then" and "well" and any number of connecting words that basically mean nothing much at all...) the following is the article, the email we received in response and our response to that email.
First, the article in question...
Valladolid to Get New Shopping Center
On the east side of the peninsula, Chedraui is investing $8,000,000 USD in a new shopping center in Valladolid, and it is to be built in the first quarter of 2008. This shopping center will also be home to Italian Coffee, Burger King, Big Home, Coppel, Hollywood Cinemas, Taco Inn, Famsa and Cajun Grill, among others. With the naming of Chichen Itza as one of the Seven New Wonders of the World, the eastern part of our state needs as many new businesses and services as they can get. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are coming and many new residents are deciding to call the area home. It is a long way from Valladolid to Merida (or to Cancun) so this shopping center is good news for everybody who lives there or stops by to visit.
Next, the letter we received...
Our reader wrote: "Regarding the article, is this view about development prevalent in the expat community and at the editorial board of this publication? What interests future retirees about your area is its unique culture and landscape. My wife and I visited Valladolid last winter and we loved what we saw. The Yucatan does not need to stay underdeveloped, but your fascination for (this) type of development described tells me that it is in danger of becoming indistinguishable from the snack strips of El Paso, Fort Lauderdale or Costa Rica, and that this will happen too quickly. Surely, you will agree that what you have now is special. I am not saying local government should restrict growth. But my wife and I were interested in the Yucatan and this article tells us Yucatan expats are anxious to recreate the world they left behind in the north. This begs the question, why did they leave it? It also has caused us to cast our attention more seriously to southern Europe for our retirement plans."
Lastly, our response...
Dear Sir: We don't originate the subjects of our News summaries on Yucatan Living. We translate articles from Spanish-language sources that are published for a Mexican readership. We do this as a service for our English-mostly readership. If the Yucatecos think it's a big story, then we try to include it.
We can't speak for the expat community, of course, but we can make some observations we feel sure about:
1. The "growth" described in the article below is driven by corporate expansion and the desire of the Mexican
>
people. The expat community has nothing to do with it. Here in Merida, there are at most 6,000 expats in a city of a million Yucatecos. We'd guess there are no more than 70 expats in Valladolid. We have no direct impact on growth that we can tell. The impulse to build and grow comes from the Mexican middle-class.
2. The socio-economic diversity in Yucatan is extremely vast. There are those who exist on practically no money, living a traditional Maya lifestyle. There are multi-millionaires who own half a dozen opulent homes. And there are people of every conceivable walk of life in between those extremes. One or two malls is a drop in the cultural ocean.
3. In general, expats who move here come for the diversity of experience, not to recreate their former lives. But there's nothing like having access to a modern experience when you need one. This is especially true for health care, insurance, real estate and other important matters. If you want to buy a washing machine, you have to go to a modern store. The mercado only carries washboards. Once you've actually lived outside of your own country, you'll perhaps understand that desire a little bit more.
4. Mexicans who are being deported from the U.S., (many of whom have never actually set foot in Mexico), are relieved to find some of the familiar brands and shopping experiences they left behind. A small consolation for them, perhaps, but ironically, it's not unlike an immigrant to the U.S. finding a source of their favorite items from their home country. Also, did you know that far more Mexicans travel to the U.S. each year legally (on a 15 day tourist visa) than sneak across the border? Why? Mostly to shop in modern U.S. malls. But given the choice, they'd rather stay at home to do their shopping.
5. Meanwhile, is it really fair to impose one's wishes on people in other countries? If the Yucatecos want a shopping center, why not? Did you notice that all but one store in the article was a Mexican corporation? That means more jobs in Mexico, more middle-class Mexicans, and probably more shopping centers. This is happening all around the world. It's the big global "catch up" to the so-called "developed" world. Good luck escaping it in southern Europe. If you really don't want to see a shopping mall, we'd recommend the Island of Roatan, off the coast of Honduras, and even there, we're not sure you'd be completely "safe".
What do you think? We welcome your comments...
Comments
Mitch 17 years ago
Bar the door Mary! We ain't seen nuthin yet.
Reply
Working Gringos 17 years ago
Ah, you're in luck! the lovely and amazing Beatriz HAS been to the Liverpool mall and she reports that these stores are there: Liverpool, Zingara (men & women’s clothing store from Spain... kind of like a European GAP), Sasha Colección (women’s clothing), Nutrisa (healthy foods), Optica Lux (eyeglasses store), perfume store with Clinique products, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani y Clarins. The main attraction is the ice-skating rink, which is in the center of everything. There is also a fast-food court, a casino, and Piccolo Mondo (a children playgroung). There are also something like 14 movie theaters.
Reply
Working Gringos 17 years ago
Actually, Erin, we haven't had a chance to go there ourselves, so we're not sure which stores are there. Indulge your sense of adventure and go and find out!! (Of course, maybe one of our readers will share that information for you...)
Reply
erin 17 years ago
What stores are in the new mall i would really like to konw before i go on saturday, so if you could please email me before then that would be great thank you so much!
Reply
Alan 17 years ago
PJA....yours is an insightful, articulate, post from a perspective different than most who post here. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Keep in mind that the Yucatan you came to was not the "original" Yucatan, but was itself the product of many changes over hundreds of years. Once, there was a Yucatan pre-gringo, pre-henequin, pre-Spanish, even pre-Maya. Yucatan (and Mexico) have a turbulent history as proponents of various changes and their opponents have struggled to create the future. In all of this, there is this truth; change cannot be prevented, only shaped. The most complex cultures are usually those with the greatest histories of change. Radical, quick change is always the most disruptive, but, once assimilated, becomes the new normal, the "way things are," just as you came to a Yucatan that is the way it was when you arrived.
Let your voice be heard, and participate in the shape change takes....the best future is always one which is informed by the past, preserving that part of it which was best BUT combining it with the best the future has to offer.
Reply
PJA 17 years ago
I realize this is a complex issue and appreciate all the different opinions. I also realize I am oversimplifing by saying simply that I am soooooo saddened to see what is happenning in Yucatan!!! I am a gringa who has lived and worked in Merida since 1995. In that time, I have not made even one trip to the USA, so I am sure I am out of touch, and I love it. My husband is from Celestun, and our kids go to public schools. I am a hard-working employee at a Mexican company who earns $1,200 pesos a week. My husband earns $950. We drive a "Volcho" and have an 'Infonavit' house and IMSS health care. I originally came to Yucatan to do volunteer work and just fell in love with it, as you most likely have. The main reason I fell in love is because it seemed to be everything that the usa is NOT. Now we cannot even to to Celestun without seeing the greed of foreign beach-buyers and the frantic race of the locals to get tourist dollars. My father-in-law scraped by with his family in a cardboard hut for years: poor in dollars but rich in health and family. Then came tourism, more income from boat tours, then came taking the daily 'botin' to the cantina for booze. Then marital infidelity, and kids out of wedlock and a family destroyed. But the money rolls in still and neither of his 'viejas' as he now calls them gets a dime. Wonderful progress. Yes, I know responsibility is an individual choice, but we have all seen this time and time again and it is very sad. The 'inges' at my place of employment bring fried eggs and rice to work because they'd rather have $$ to pay for a nice, new car. Greed and an over-identification with certain goods and cervices has been the downfall of many, not just Yucatecos. I know I may be an extreme case in that I don't have any gringos in my life any more (except e-mail with my mom in the usa!) But I can't help but think that this commercialization of Yucatan will be very bad in the long run. I applaud the reminder to support local vendors. But each time anyone supports an 'american' business I think you are contributing to a social ill. Perhaps that should be left to the native-born Yucatecos.
On a side note and perhaps stating the obvious...the 'middle class', for lack of a better term, very, very rarely shops at Wal-Mart, Sears, Home Depot, or eats at Wendys. It has been my experience that doing so seems to instill some sense of 'superiority' upon many shoppers...very bizarre and quite scary I must say.
I love Yucatan and is just breaks my heart to see this kind of 'progress'.
I am not online much and have never seen this site before so I don't know if you've touched on the subject: I understand that the number of u.s. citizens who are relinquishing their citizenship is on the rise. I wonder how the 'modernization' of Yucatan will effect this??
Thank you for the article and comments.
Reply
Pennsy Al 17 years ago
I think I share some of the view CasiYucateco expressed on the subject of malls and creeping U.S. commercialization.
If Mexicans want malls, and Wal-Mart, that of course is their choice. They might want to take a look at the U.S. experience to realize the Faustian bargain. While Wal-Mart has been championed for its low prices (I'll take that on faith, as I avoid Wal-Mart on principle), has it really raised the level of wellbeing in the U.S.? Arguable. My take is that for some lower prices on what I understand to be mostly Chinese imports, Wal-Mart has driven down wages and eliminated whole downtown shopping areas across the country and helped send most consumer electronics and textiles production to China as well. Most of its employees can't make ends meet. Wal-Mart is extending some health benefits to more of its employees only after the harsh glare of adverse publicity. Architectually, it's buildings are ugly -- at least the exteriors.
As for the malls, it's hard to know which city or even state one is in inside one of those commercial centers. It's the big chains that can afford the space. Their near minimal wage employees -- and the managers -- have little or no incentive to know or care about the products they sell. Enough already.
Okay, I confess, the Oxxo stores are convenient --- and carry great tasting FRESH
milk. Something not (yet) available in the mercados, tienditas, in Merida or in the countryside (because of the lack of refrigeration in many homes and general lactose intolerance among the Mayans).
Second topic. When I see a city or region or country, it interests me as to the source of its income. So what is the basis for the real estate boom in Merida? It's not the few expatriates. What's the source of the conspicuous wealth on display in certain local quarters? There's an ugly truth that everyone in the Yucatan knows. It's our modern day economic basis, and it isn't henequin. Reflecting on it, should sober us up somewhat. So far we can count our blessings that the bloodshed in the streets of the northern states (and Cancun) is uncommon in the state of the Yucatan.
Reply
John Venator 17 years ago
Obviously this article hit a nerve with Yucatan Living readers - as I do not remember seeing any one article generate 23 (and still counting) very thoughtful responses.
I would assume since we as a group all feel we will benefit (or suffer) from new developments in the Yucatan as the readers already live in the Yucatan and therefore have substantial financial commitments with real estate already in place / or they plan to in the near future - that the future development of the region is a topic of strong interest to us all and that Yucatan Living will continue to be a good source of information for us all as far as what new things are planned through out the Yucatan.
Let's hope that new development is well done / meets the needs of Mexicans and expats alike and does not bring too many unanticpated negative consequences.
Reply
Roddrigo Sidney 17 years ago
Just Rented a neat house in Valladolid so our daughter could get a better education than on ISLA HOLBOX. Its only 2 hrs back to Holbox & the Beaches Our Business & tranquility there. Valladolid is similar to Merida w/o quite so much "Hustle & Bustle" or Cultural opportunities. It is very Laid-Back and Mellow & has a nice Vibration. Prices are GREAT! Fantastic Full Brunch @ the DeLa Luz Hotel downtown $5 US! Chedraui will be a welcome sight with more choices & avoidance of trips to the Drug Haven Metropolis of CanCun. Just keep Walmart OUT! Chedraui is a Mexican Company as is Soriana. We look forward to hopefully meeting other ExPats in Valladolid!
Reply
Alan 17 years ago
Sra. Ruiz...the answer to your question is simple; don't sell what Wal Mart sells. Instead, find interesting, distinctive clothing from smaller manufacturers and/or designers, and Wal Mart will have no impact on what you do.
And...Tim...Mexicans ARE North Americans. Perhaps you meant to say...the same health problems as "gringos?"
Reply
Tim 17 years ago
I don't care about development per se, but I do think it is ashame that Mexicans now have the same health problems as Northamericans. McDonald's, Burger King, and Coca Cola are not my idea of good development.
Reply
« Back (10 to 21 comments)Next »