A large parcel of land on northern Ambergris Caye, covering about 3,000 acres, will be auctioned in Belize City on Saturday, March 21st. The public notice was issued by the Barrow and Williams law firm.
According to the notice, the auction will occur at the company’s parking lot on Albert Street. Interested buyers can submit written bids before the sale. The property, about ten miles north of San Pedro Town, includes mangrove forests, wetlands, and lagoon shoreline. Its description also mentions the presence of lowland broadleaf dry forest suitable for farming. The listing emphasizes the site’s potential for various developments, such as single-family and multi-family homes, resorts, hotels, villas, casinos, golf courses, restaurants, bars, and other commercial and tourism-related facilities.
The Government of Belize reportedly owned the property in the mid-1900s before selling it in 2007 to Caribbean Developers (Belize) Limited for US$6 million. At that time, plans for a large-scale tourism project raised public concern and led to protests on Ambergris Caye. It was later revealed that the company used the land as collateral for a US$13.72 million loan from the Industrial Bank of Korea. After the loan was not repaid, the property has remained in receivership since 2009.
Over the years, multiple attempts have been made to sell or develop the land, including proposals for casinos, hotels, marinas, golf courses, and residential communities. However, none of these projects has materialized.
In November 2016, an effort to advance development plans ended abruptly when attendees walked out of a public consultation held at the San Pedro Lions Den. The meeting was intended to gather feedback on a proposed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). Despite the reaction, representatives from Belize Environmental Technologies indicated that the EIA process would continue.
The proposal presented at that time outlined an extensive development plan, including 12 hotel complexes across 375 acres with 6,100 suites; 302 multi-family complexes spanning 430 acres with 1,210 units; 835 single-family residences over 965 acres; 20 overwater villas on 30 acres; and 400 beachfront condominium units on 20 acres. Additional plans included a transit pier, a 140-acre free zone, boating facilities, spa and fitness centers, an airstrip, and a golf course—totalling more than 8,500 units and structures across the property.
Many island residents and stakeholders have traditionally opposed large-scale development in this part of Ambergris Caye. During the 2016 meeting, participants voiced concerns that such projects wouldn’t directly benefit the island or the country and questioned the overall purpose of the proposal.
As of 2026, the property remains undeveloped and is once again being offered for sale through a public auction. Some island residents have suggested that the Government of Belize should consider acquiring the land for conservation purposes, warning that private acquisition could lead to further unsustainable development. Local government officials have not publicly responded to these suggestions.
With rising real estate values, some market observers estimate the property could fetch tens of millions of dollars. It remains to be seen whether the upcoming auction will attract potential buyers.
The public auction notice from the law firm can be found at: https://www.barrowandwilliams.com/public-property-auction/
