Crystal Lagoons signs its largest contract in Latin America to develop 13 projects in Colombia

Crystal Lagoons, the innovation multinational that develops large crystalline lagoons, continues to boost its growth in the region. Recently, it signed one of the largest contracts that includes 13 new projects in Colombia, which will help consolidate two emblematic tourist destinations: Eje Cafetero and the Colombian Caribbean.

This mega agreement is also signed with AED Constructores and arises after the success of Crystal Lagoons’ first real estate development in the country, Baia Kristal, located in Cartagena de Indias.

The new complexes are added to the 197 that the company has in Latin America, in different stages of development, and will be carried out in the cities of Barranquilla, Santa Marta, Pereira and Cartagena de Indias. In the latter port city, a 200-hectare megaproject, which will house the first Public Access Lagoons ™ development, (PAL ™ projects), in Colombia and nine private real estate projects, each with a 3-hectare navigable lagoon, similar to Baia Kristal.

Unlike private lagoons projects, the PAL™ developments are open to the public for a fee, allowing anyone access to this idyllic beach experience. Additionally, around the lagoon, there are commercial facilities for holding conventions, product launches, food halls, weddings, hotels, shops, restaurants, multiple stages for concerts, outdoor terraces, domes and amphitheaters.

“Baia Kristal’s unprecedented business opportunities were planned to be sold within three years, but ended up being sold in less than 12 months. This demonstrates that, contrary to what you might think, these crystal-clear lagoons can be successful anywhere in the world, in tourist spots as well as in coastal cities. This is what led AED Constructores to extend its partnership with Crystal Lagoons to develop 13 more lagoons,” said Jean Pierre Juanchich, Crystal Lagoons’ Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

In addition to this public access project in Cartagena, Crystal Lagoons will develop two more PAL™ complexes, one of which will be located in Pereira, the most populated city in the Eje Cafetero region. Despite being located almost 200 kilometers from the ocean, residents of Pereira will finally be able to enjoy a beach experience. The complex will include all of the infrastructure of the PAL™ model, enabling it to become in the meeting point in the city.

In Barranquilla, the main economic center in the Colombian Caribbean region, the project will the combine PAL™ model with private residential areas for first dwelling.

In Santa Marta, which is also located on the Colombian Caribbean coast and is the country’s oldest standing city, Crystal Lagoons will develop a residential project focused primarily on Colombians living abroad who are looking for a second home in their country.

These 13 new projects come as an addition to facilities already being developed in Colombia, which include Baia Kristal and another hotel development.

“Colombia is a market with great potential for Crystal Lagoons due to its climate, population and other factors. These projects will change the lives of millions of Colombians by bringing a Caribbean-like experience to their doorsteps,” said Juanchich.

The PAL™ model has attracted the interest worldwide. Some of the company’s biggest contracts are in the United States (16 PAL™ developments in partnership with Epic and Mattel and five with ADËLON in Orlando), Korea (30 PAL™ projects in partnership with Hyundai-NexPlan), Pakistan (15 PAL™ developments in partnership with Ary Group) and Central America (18 PAL™ developments together with successful entrepreneurs in the region).

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These are developments where anyone can enjoy an idyllic beach lifestyle through ticketed entry. Moreover, they transform any piece of land into the meeting point of the 21st century and the best business opportunity.

Public Access Lagoons® projects, also known as PAL® developments, developed by Crystal Lagoons, are redefining the concepts of entertainment, tourism, and urban development. These crystalline lagoons, accessible to all through ticketed entry, transform any piece of land into both the best business opportunity and the meeting point of the 21st century, creating destinations that combine technology, sustainability, and profitability.

The vision of Crystal Lagoons goes beyond offering a crystalline lagoon; it is about creating complete experiences that generate lasting value. With the ability to bring a tropical beach just steps away from people’s homes, PAL® complexes have become unparalleled attraction hubs, capable of hosting a wide variety of activities and events throughout the year.

The Heart of a New Lifestyle

PAL® lagoons are much more than a visual attraction: they are the social, recreational, and economic center of modern communities. These developments can host event centers, concerts, festivals, food fairs, sports activities, and many other initiatives throughout the year, becoming true hubs of entertainment and social interaction.

Examples of Projects Transforming Cities

  • Lagoon Park Bucharest (Romania): An urban oasis located in the heart of Bucharest, featuring a 2.2-acre crystalline lagoon that debuted with sold-out tickets more than a week in advance.
  • Epperson Lagoon (USA): With its 7.3-acre crystalline lagoon, it became the first real estate project transformed into a PAL® development.
  • Angel Lagoon (USA): Anchored by a 4.2-acre crystalline lagoon, it has been described as “a paradise just 40 minutes from Houston.”

A Profitable and Sustainable Business Model

PAL® projects generate multiple sources of revenue, making them a unique opportunity for investors and real estate developers. Among the most common models are:

  • Sale of daily tickets and annual memberships
  • Rental of spaces for events and corporate activities
  • Operation of restaurants, bars, shops, and beach clubs
  • Commercialization of naming rights and brand sponsorships

All of this is achieved through a scalable and sustainable operational model that reduces maintenance costs and maximizes long-term profitability.

Crystal Lagoons® Sustainable Technology

The patented Crystal Lagoons® technology allows large bodies of crystalline water to be maintained with minimal resource consumption:

  • Uses any type of water: fresh, salt, or brackish
  • Consumes up to 33 times less water than a golf course
  • Uses only 2% of the energy required by conventional filtration systems
  • Requires up to 100 times fewer chemicals than a traditional swimming pool

This efficiency makes PAL® projects a globally recognized model of sustainability and water efficiency.

Developments Anywhere in the World

One of the greatest advantages of PAL® projects is their geographical versatility. They can be developed in urban, rural, or inland areas and adapted to different scales and audiences.

Master Agreements: A Model for Global Expansion

Crystal Lagoons drives the growth of its PAL® projects through Master Agreements, strategic alliances that allow local partners to develop multiple lagoons under a single license.

This model:

  • Facilitates rapid expansion in key markets
  • Optimizes investment and development timelines
  • Guarantees the exclusive use of Crystal Lagoons® technology in each region

In this way, partners can capitalize on the enormous commercial potential of crystalline lagoons, benefiting from the global recognition of the Crystal Lagoons® brand.

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The project will become the largest urban beach in Europe, fulfilling a long-awaited aspiration for Madrid’s residents. It will be developed under the Public Access Lagoons® model, also known as PAL® projects, accessible to all through ticketed entry.

For a long time, the inhabitants of Madrid, Spain’s capital, have longed to experience beach life within the city. Today, that dream will come true thanks to Crystal Lagoons, as the municipal council of the town of Alovera has approved a project that will enable the development of the largest urban beach in Europe. This will put an end to the wait, allowing Madrid’s residents to enjoy crystalline waters and white sandy beaches.

The project

This is Alovera Beach, a new Public Access Lagoons® development, also known as a PAL® project, located just 30 minutes from Madrid. Its centerpiece will be a 5.2-acre lagoon powered by Crystal Lagoons® technology, accessible to all through ticketed entry. The body of water will be suitable for swimming and water sports, and will be surrounded by 16,000 m² of white sand beaches. 

Contribution to the Community

The complex will represent an investment of over € 20 million and create more than 140 direct jobs. In addition to the crystalline lagoon, it will feature a range of infrastructure characteristics from the PAL® model. This will include:

  • Sports facilities
  • Water park with slides and children’s pools
  • Water sports school – kayaking, paddleboarding –
  • Dining services
  • Events
  • Beach Club
  • Among other amenities, the project is expected to set a benchmark for aquatic entertainment in central Spain.

The project is an innovative concept that will transform the municipality of Alovera and boost tourism in the Guadalajara area, positioning it on the European map of technology, innovation, and sustainability, while establishing it as a unique reference for outdoor water sports. The complex will be open year-round and is expected to receive around 350,000 visitors annually.

Bringing the Beach to the City

Alovera Beach’s proximity to Madrid and its excellent accessibility will make this entertainment park an attractive option for thousands of people who would otherwise travel hundreds of kilometers to enjoy a beach experience, resulting in a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.

Sustainability as a Cornerstone

Like all lagoons developed by the multinational innovation company, Alovera Beach will be no exception and will feature Crystal Lagoons® sustainable technology, which:

  • It uses any type of water: fresh, salt, or brackish water, that has no alternative use
  • It consumes 33 times less water than an 18-hole golf course and 40% less water than a park of the same size
  • Its filtration system uses only 2% of the energy required by conventional systems
  • It employs up to 100 times fewer chemicals than a swimming pool

The Partnership and Urban Contribution

The complex is being developed by Grupo Rayet in partnership with Crystal Lagoons, becoming a model of urban regeneration that will revolutionize the local landscape with a high social impact.

Construction is scheduled to begin at the end of 2025, with a partial opening of the park expected in the spring of 2027.

Europa Press

The alliance will accelerate the evaluation and development of Eco-Heated Lagoons by Crystal Lagoons™ projects worldwide, fostering seamless integration and synergy between the technologies of both companies.

Crystal Lagoons and MintGreen, two global leaders in sustainability innovation, have teamed up to advance the assessment and development of Eco-Heated Lagoons by Crystal Lagoons™ projects – heated crystalline lagoons powered by eco-friendly, high efficiency solutions.

Agreement Objective

Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), both companies will collaborate on multiple Crystal Lagoons projects worldwide. This partnership aims to create efficient integration between their technologies, enabling crystalline lagoons to be heated while simultaneously cooling high-performance computing systems used for cryptocurrency mining.

Eco-Heated Lagoons by Crystal Lagoons™

Crystal Lagoons has developed its patented Eco-Heated Lagoons by Crystal Lagoons™ technology, which enables sustainable cooling through crystalline lagoons while harnessing residual heat from facilities such as data centers to warm the lagoon.

Some key benefits include:

  • Leveraging existing bodies of water for dual use, including cooling cryptocurrency mining equipment.
  • Operating in a closed-circuit system, avoiding water waste.
  • Significantly reducing carbon footprint.
  • Capturing waste heat that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
  • Providing low-maintenance, low-cost cooling compared to traditional chillers.

MintGreen’s Digital Boiler™ Technology

MintGreen is the inventor of the Digital Boiler™, a patented technology that recovers and repurposes heat from high-performance computing (e.g., Bitcoin mining, AI processing) to deliver hot water for district energy systems, pools, resorts, and other facilities. This solution uses energy twice: first for computing, then for heating.

Its high-efficiency hot water system:

  • Recovering >97% of computing energy as usable heat.
  • Supplying water temperatures up to 185°F (85°C).
  • Operating on low-carbon electricity.
  • Preventing up to 1,800 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per MW annually compared to natural gas.

This makes it one of the world’s most cost-effective and reliable low-carbon heat sources.

Expected Results

The Crystal Lagoons and MintGreen alliance will deliver transformative benefits, including: 

  • Harnessing thermal energy from Bitcoin mining to heat crystalline lagoons.
  • Repurposing lagoon water for multiple applications.
  • Extending the swimming season into colder months.
  • Showcasing the future of decentralized, sustainable energy infrastructure.

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