European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - October 26, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily 1agaz/ne along revolution annul Quani a main drag Balcony ban Nave become popular with visitors. Tijuana turns trendy Byca Rossie associated press he Zeal that the mexican Bonier City Tijuana displayed Tor decades in gaining its reputation As a Den of gambling prostitution and quickie divorces now is being redirected toward Industry and Commerce. Tijuana has become a Bright spot on Mexico s otherwise gloomy economic horizon. The City just across the Border from san Diego calil., has capitalized an local savvy foreign investment and the know How of people flocking in irom Mexico City. Everybody s talking about Tijuana and it s not about the sin City aspect said Jose Palicot one of the City s leading businessmen. As Oil prices plunged in 1986. Mexico s Gross Domestic product contracted by 3.8 percent while its foreign debt topped $100 billion. Tijuana s Economy expanded by 7 percent at the same time. Local business leaders predict the trend will continue. . And japanese investments in maquiladoras Assembly plants mat produce goods Tor Export Hove flourished since Mexico s economic crisis began in 1982. The Oriel created i he need tar us to Wake up and create Job sources invest commercialize Export and satisfy our own people said Octavio Corona president of the Tijuana chamber of . The growth in Tijuana has been explosive said Raul Garcia president of the Baja California coastal zone maquiladora Industry association. The value added 1o the products assembled by mexican labor from mexican raw materials has reached $3.5 million a week. Garcia said. It s been growing by about is percent a year since 1983." Garcia said More than 70 new plants have been approved this year alone increasing total employment in the operations to More than 36.000 workers in Tijuana whose population is estimated variously irom 750,000 to 1.3 million people. Unemployment is less than 1 percent in Tijuana although underemployment is about As High As in the rest of Mexico. The Golem men says National unemployment is b percent to 9 percent bul estimates by labor and private sector economists put Ilas High As 15 percent to 17 percent. The unemployed and underemployed people without Fuh time jobs total 45 percent to so percent according to various estimates. Many of the underemployed in Tijuana however Are people who have come from Rural areas hoping to Cross illegally to work in the United Stales. At the same time Many jobs go unfilled because applicants scoff at the mini mum wage of about $3 a Day. You can t get a ditch Digger for the minimum wage said Alfonso Bustamante president of the Tijuana tourism Bureau. The comp Lilton is at every level from labourers to executives and in every area of the  much of Tijuana s Success can be linked to California which imports Many of the products made there and provides millions of tourist dollars Bustamante estimated that tourists visiting during the fourth of july weekend this year spent $10 million in the municipality which stretches along the Gulf of California to Rosarito where an s8 million hotel and condominium Complex is opening. More than 1b million tourists visited the area in 1986 spending an average of s36 each up from a $24 average in 1985. We re getting a better class of tourist said Busl Manle whose family is Iho major stockholder in the top class $40 million fiesta americana hotel. The millions spent on hotels shopping centers boutiques restaurants and bars that Cater to tourists and wealthy mexicans is changing Tijuana s appearance. Gleaming Glass and steel structures wide boulevards and pavement have replaced the Dusty roads and tin and Wood buildings that once dominated a photo seller of mexican jewelry approaching a tourist. The landscape. About its million has been invested in four major shopping centers in the past i to years. One example of Iho commercial Fervour is the new colonial style Plaza fiesta shopping Center which includes 18 shoe stores under one Root on devolution Avenue the City s most tourist oriented Street. 55 new businesses have opened since 1985, Bustamante said. The second floors of buildings on revolution that weren t Worth five cents suddenly Aro going Lor  said Corona tables topped by brightly coloured umbrellas sit on outdoor second Story terraces along revolution Down below the usual hawkers still Olfer irm Kels cheap Ancl the poor continue to sell paper Flowers and gum. Those who hied Tijuana the Way in was the american teen agers who came to drink and party in the streets those looking for the bars where prostitutes work still will find some of the old times. Seedier establishments remain Scall ered among the shining superstructures like be drug store on revolution Avenue. Tijuana s first Boom in the 1920s and 1930s was aided by americans who poured into Tijuana s bars and casinos during prohibition Ihnn Lor topless dancing pornographic movies and other such pastimes. After the american society opened up everything we had they had faster said businessman Palicot. Palicot whose Many ventures include the wildly successful of discotheque is adding a two Story shopping Center next door. It will offer top fashion labels uncommon to most of Mexico adding Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren to the Gucci Fiorucci and Ben colons already available in some boutiques. Palicot s partner. Ary Magun who moved id Tijuana recently from Mexico City handles manufacturing end marketing of Lauren s Polo line throughout the country. Magun said his wife Claudia a fashion designer is bringing All her sewing women with her irom Mexico  scores of Mexico City residents have moved to Tijuana some cite the earthquakes that devastated much of Mexico City in september 1985 As a Factor in their decision to leave. Tijuana s sunny climate its proximity to the United Stales and the promising economic prospects also Are attractions. People come looking for the Goose that lays the Golden eggs said or. Felipe Tovar a neurosurgeon. An enormous Quantity of doctors has moved Here Over the past three years Many from Mexico  ten Modem medical centers Many catering to americans have sprung up on pase de los heroes a wide tree lined Boulevard with towering statues. Just a decade ago it was the Weed invested Fla lands of the Tijuana River. Oei Pite Maui investments in efforts to keep up with Tijuana s explosive growth the government is lagging behind in expanding City services and providing Loans for housing construction. Cardboard and tin shacks thai crowded the area under the Bridge to the United slates have been moved out of sight of the main business areas but they remain the Only housing Foi the City s destitute. Many people come Here because they hear there s a lot of work Garcia said. But not being Able to find Homes they go Back. So in the Short term there s a massive housing need " i know people who spend up to a fifth of their salary Tor water said Bernardo Gonzalez a researcher at Tijuana s Northern Border College. They have to buy it by the  inflation reached 108 percent in Tijuana in 1986. Three Points higher that the National average. And Many new residents complain of the High Cost of living in an Economy essentially based on u s. Dollars not mexican pesos. I be had tights Wilh clerks in stores because they try to charge me in dollars for things made in  said Maria Luisa Escobosa who moved to Tijuana recently from Mexico City so All they do is convert the Dollar value to pesos " still. Optimism is High and Money keeps coming mow Quality people with knowledge and Money arc investing  said Talicol these Are people with political contacts thai know Hort to make things happen " monday. October 26, 1987 the stars and stripes Page 13