Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - According to a recent report in the Vallarta Opina, the Federal Government is willing to invest $500 million pesos in the downtown area of Puerto Vallarta.

With this line of investment, the Jalisco Ministry of Tourism (Setujal), in collaboration with City Council executives, has devised several high impact projects meant to revive the most important tourist center of the region.

State officials are currently working with the city's director of Infrastructure and Municipal Government Services, Héctor Chaires Muñoz, to refine the details of the proposed projects. Among the priorities mentioned were repairing and beautifying Morelos Street, improving the River Cuale Island, which involves rearranging the handicraft trade in the area to create more gathering spaces, and new street lights along the Malecón.

The state official said that these are just three of several projects that are in the early stage of development, as these requests have been submitted repeatedly by neighbors in the downtown and Romantic zones.

The portfolio of projects has to be submitted to federal authorities in the course of the next few months, and once they are given 'the nod,' some of the proposed works can begin. "Remember that this is a process, the federal government does not release resources for projects without an executive consensus, ie agreements between the state and the municipality that the works to be performed are expected to be successful and have a positive impact on the community," said Jalisco Tourism Secretary, Ludwig Estrada.

The Tourism Secretary went on to say that local schools or associations are welcome to submit projects proposals that would benefit the public, and that the authorities will consider them. If a consensus is reached on these proposed projects, the authorities will present them, so that the government funding can be applied in the best possible way.

He asked that we keep in mind that the city's agreement with the federal government is that the $500 million pesos is to be earmarked for the revitalization of downtown. However, standard procedure is that in order for the funds to be released and applied, the executives must agree upon all of the projects in which the funds will be invested.