The Daily

The Sunday Read: ‘The For-Profit City That Might Come Crashing Down’

83 snips
Sep 15, 2024
In this engaging discussion, Rachel Corbett, a New York Times Magazine contributor, and Jorge Colindres, the technical secretary of the private city Prospera, explore the complexities of this innovative yet controversial project in Honduras. They reveal the city's ambitious aims to attract foreign investment through minimal regulation while grappling with opposition from local communities. The conversation highlights the stark socio-economic disparities, political tensions, and the deeper implications of privatization as a solution to economic challenges, creating a vivid picture of this unique urban experiment.
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ANECDOTE

Tour of Prospera

  • Jorge Colindres, Prospera's technical secretary, showed the author the city's tallest building, overlooking the Caribbean Sea.
  • The building, Duna Residences, is considered illegal by the Honduran government.
INSIGHT

Private Cities Movement

  • Prospera is part of a growing movement of private cities, often located in developing nations.
  • These cities offer escape from government oversight and taxation, attracting libertarian thinkers and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs.
ANECDOTE

Worker Death

  • A subcontractor working on the Duna Tower died after falling from the 14th floor during a power outage.
  • This incident raises questions about accountability and worker safety in Prospera's deregulated environment.
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