John Scheman – Ciudad Nya, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
John Scheman is the founder and CEO of Ciudad Nya and one of the original visionaries behind Guanacaste’s transformation from rural province to thriving economic corridor. With over three decades of real estate development experience in Costa Rica, John brings a rare combination of entrepreneurial vision, hands-on execution, and a deep commitment to community impact.
In 1994, John began his journey in Guanacaste by developing Vistas del Pacífico, where he built roads, utilities, and residential infrastructure from the ground up. Frustrated by supply shortages in the region, he went on to found the El Lagar Do It Center, now one of Costa Rica’s largest construction retail chains with 24+ locations and over 1,500 employees.
Ciudad Nya is John’s most ambitious project to date – a master-planned, $1.2 billion, 900-hectare (2,225-acre)development just minutes from the Guanacaste International Airport. Under John’s leadership, Ciudad Nya is designed as a future-forward “15-minute city,” combining residential, commercial, and recreational spaces with sustainable infrastructure, Costa Rica’s first Crystal Lagoon®, a Free Trade Zone, and job-generating industry.
As both a developer and philanthropist, John has built a reputation for pairing private-sector innovation with long-term community investment. His work through the Do It Foundation – which has delivered more than 30,000 wheelchairs and supported health and education initiatives for over 100,000 people – reflects the same values that guide his approach to Nya: smart growth, social inclusion, and a future built to last.
John Lee Scheman Hughes – Nya, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
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