Macri Family Invests US$42.5 Million in Uruguayan Sports Hub

Gianfranco Macri, brother of former Argentine President Mauricio Macri, is set to invest US$42.5 million in a significant sports and tourism development in Uruguay. The project, located in the Manantiales-José Ignacio corridor, aims to establish a new regional center for sports, tourism, and wellness. Macri is collaborating with businessmen Pablo Rubio and Mariano de Llano on this initiative through their company, Manantiales Golf SAD. The development plans feature a 27-hole golf course spanning nearly 100 hectares, a 3,000-square-meter sports and wellness center, and additional facilities such as tennis and pádel courts, a gym, and spa services. The project was presented to Uruguayan President Yamandú Orsi and Maldonado's intendente, Miguel Abella. Construction is slated to begin this year, with US$30.3 million allocated for the golf course and clubhouse, and US$12.2 million for the sports and wellness center. The developers anticipate attracting year-round visitors, aiming to mitigate the seasonality typically experienced in Maldonado. They project around 8,200 annual rounds of golf from tourists, potentially generating an additional US$1.5 million annually in tourism spending outside the complex. The construction is expected to take three years, with partial opening of the golf course in the second year and full completion by the end of the third. Gianfranco Macri, known for his lower public profile compared to his brother, has focused on business and investments, deepening his ties to Uruguay where he has resided for over a decade.