SBR HISTORY

During the 1930’s, before there was a paved road to Puerto Peñasco, Sonora, Mexico. Located just 65 miles from the U.S. border, known to Americans as “Rocky Point”, people began traveling to this unique seashore location from Phoenix and Tucson, drawn by the beauty and sport fishing of the incredible “Gulf of California” or “Sea of Cortez”. The ideal place to launch a boat back then was from the beaches of “Cholla Bay”. During the late 1930’s, Duncan Brown, a Mexican citizen of American descent, was working in the cotton industry in San Luis Rio Colorado, Sonora, just south of Yuma, Arizona. Frequently, he would travel by train to the state capital, Hermosillo. The railroad line passed through “Rocky Point”, and on one occasion, while waiting for the train to continue the next leg of the trip, he wandered over to the shore and saw what is now known as “Sandy Beach”.

Duncan investigated, finding out that the land belonged to the Mexican Federal Government. At the time, General Lazaro Cardenas was president of Mexico. Duncan decided it was best to purchase the land initially through a third party, using his attorney, Rafael Navarrete, who in 1940 acquired a total of 3,374 acres, the Title having been signed by President Cardenas himself. In 1941, Navarrete transferred ownership to Duncan, who unfortunately passed away in 1943. In 1956, his widow sold the property to her brother in law, Gus Brown Sr.

Over the years, Americans wishing to have a place to leave their boats when they came to fish at “Cholla Bay”, located on part of the property, started leasing lots on which they built boathouses, and eventually homes as well. In 1985, Gus Sr. sold the property to Gus Jr., who in 1999 purchased an additional 2,433 acres, bringing the total to 5,807 acres.

In 1995, "Cholla Bay" was subdivided into 1,268 lots, of which approximately 800 have been sold. The introduction of electric power and telephone service to "Cholla Bay" in 1997 enabled the startup of the "Costa Diamante" project on 80 acres, which was the beginning of what is now known as "Sandy Beach Resorts", a Master Planned Development encompassing 4,600 acres. The year 2003 will be the 63rd anniversary of the property being owned by the Brown's.
"Sandy Beach Resorts" is in the "First Mover" position in the development arena of Puerto Peñasco, mainly due to its substantial investment in infrastructure and commitment to excellence in developing and meeting scheduled activity dates, as well as having the best development property in the area.
Sandy Beach Resorts" is located to the west of city and consists of ~5,000 acres designated for tourist development.