Dolphin Capital Investors (DCI) has marked the start of construction at its Playa Grande Amanresort and Golf Course in the Dominican Republic with an official groundbreaking ceremony attended by the country’s President, Danilo Medina.

The ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Tourism for the Dominican Republic Francisco Javier Garcia, the Minister of Public Works Gonzalo Castillo, the founder and chairman of Aman Resorts Adrian Zecha, Rees Jones, the golf course designer, John Heah, the Aman Resort architect, and representatives of the local government and Dominican business community.

Playa Grande, which is Aman’s first venture in the Dominican Republic and the world’s first golf-integrated Aman resort, will comprise a 30 room hotel and up to 38 villas serviced by the hotel. It will incorporate the highly regarded Robert Trent Jones Sr Golf Course, which is currently being fully renovated by the original course designer’s son, Rees Jones.

In addition to the Aman hotel and golf course, a new golf clubhouse will be developed, as well as a health and fitness spa and tennis facilities. The Aman Golf resort is expected to be completed and open in Q1 2015 and during the construction period the first eight Aman villas closest to the hotel will be selectively marketed and released for sale.