Q COSTARICA—After a decade of operations in Costa Rica, Corporación Lady Lee celebrates a milestone that combines growth, consolidation, and a vision for the future.
The Honduran company, which began its journey in 1971, has expanded to form a robust business ecosystem comprised of six divisions in Costa Rica:
- Retail: Lady Lee stores, CrediLee, Price Home, and Nova Market.
- Real Estate: City Mall, Mall Megaplaza, Novaplaza, Ventu Plaza, and City Center by Lady Lee.
- Entertainment: City Games and Megacinemas.
- Food: Wendy’s*, Cafetini, and Papa John’s.
- Services: Venture X, Workout Anytime, Evolution, and LL 360.
- Hospitality: Hilton Garden Inn and AC Marriott.
During these 10 years, the corporation has expanded its presence with operations in Costa Rica, Honduras, Spain, and soon, the Dominican Republic. In Costa Rica, the starting point was City Mall Alajuela, which will celebrate its tenth anniversary in 2025. The shopping center remains the busiest in the country and closes the year with a 98.5% occupancy rate. Furthermore, a recent CID Gallup study ranked it as the number one brand in Costa Rican Top of Mind, according to data published by Summa Magazine.
In the hospitality division, the Hilton Garden Inn Airport City Mall has become a preferred choice for tourists and business travelers, thanks to its proximity to the airport and its range of event spaces designed for corporate and social gatherings. This year it received a 5-star rating from the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) and is also notable for being the 1,000th Hilton hotel worldwide.
New projects on the way
The corporation is now moving forward with Ventu Plaza, its new brand of open-air shopping centers, designed to offer shopping, dining, and entertainment experiences in open environments that promote community interaction.
The first three plazas are already under development in Desamparados, San Sebastián, and Liberia. Each is designed to integrate seamlessly with its surroundings, providing spaces that combine retail, restaurants, and cultural activities.
The Ventu Plaza Liberia project will feature a 140-room AC Marriott hotel and a convention center, in addition to a retail area. With this concept, it is projected as a strategic destination for business and event tourism in the region.
With these initiatives, Lady Lee Corporation reaffirms its commitment to quality real estate development and creating value in the communities where it operates. In their initial phase, the new projects will generate approximately 500 jobs.
*Wendy’s does not currently have any restaurants in Costa Rica. The company closed all its locations in the country in January 2015 due to high competition in the fast-food market.