VIVA Punta Leona

VIVA Punta Leona (1) was a pre-construction condo project in Costa Rica offered by Beach One Developments, a partnership between Eugenio Gordienko of Punta Leona Hotel & Club and Hal Wright of Punta Dominical. In a highly successful sales release, VIVA Punta Leona sold all 36 units of its Phase I release in just 4 hours on April 30, 2007.

Within hours of being offered on April 30, a diverse collection of buyers from the United States, Canada and Costa Rica purchased all 36 condominium suites, generating US$16.3 million in sales. ( All Business) The project’s Phase I sales release featured one-, two- and three-bedroom condominiums that ranged in size from approximately 800 to more than 2,000 square feet with per-unit prices from US$189,900 to US$749,900.

"VIVA's unique combination of a new, high-end resort condominium in a well-established Costa Rican community made it an attractive buy," said Hal Wright of Beach One Developments. ( BNET)

After signing purchase agreements, VIVA Punta Leona purchasers were instructed to make a deposit equal to 10% of the purchase price to a Stewart Title escrow account to secure their selected condo units. In accordance with a provision in the sales contract, all funds were released to Beach One Developments immediately.

Unfortunately, Beach One Developments encountered many problems with the proposed development, and less than a year after its Phase I sales release, VIVA Punta Leona was canceled. However, unlike other canceled or postponed projects in the area – which include St. Regis, Vista Azul, Jaco Beach Towers and Tropica Sands – VIVA Punta Leona purchasers were not refunded for their deposits.

Purchasers were notified on June 6, 2008 in a letter signed by Eugenio Gordienko and Hal Wright that the money would be refunded within a 10-month term by April 6, 2009. That promise was never fulfilled. ( Ripoff Report)

On September 17, 2009, purchasers filed a criminal and civil lawsuit against Eugenio Gordienko and Hal Wright for committing fraud by providing false contract information and failing to return deposits. Other individuals cited in the lawsuit include Boris Gordienko, Pablo Gordienko, Detlef William Sarbok, Mario Pacheco Carranza and Mario Pacheco Coronado. ( PR Log) The criminal accusation was filed with the Prosecutor´s Office of Garabito (the district that includes Jacó), and is pending investigation. ( El Financiero)