The story of an American who bought an abandoned small town in Spain to turn it into a tourist site

The love for Spain and for exploring new challenges in life motivated the American Jason Lee Beckwith to buy a small abandoned village in the European country with the aim of turning it into a tourist destination.

According to what was revealed by the media EFE, Beckwith decided to acquire, for an amount close to $340,000, the village of Salto de Castro, located in the province of Zamora, near the border with Portugal, while browsing the internet.

As mentioned by the American, who had not traveled to Europe before buying said town, he immediately knew that this small enclave was his "future" when he saw it available.

Jason Lee Beckwith's plan to transform this place

Prior to the purchase of the village of Salto de Castro, Beckwith had developed his career in a printing house until he decided to start his process as an entrepreneur with a bed and breakfast business. After achieving success with this idea, the native of California decided to take a "sabbatical year" that allowed him to explore and develop his entrepreneurial spirit.

During this period, the printer considered the option of acquiring a hotel establishment in the United States. However, and thanks to his wife's advice, he decided to set his sights on the Iberian Peninsula, coming across a little treasure called Salto de Castro.

As mentioned by the Californian to EFE, his intention to buy a house in the city of Granada disappeared instantly when he found the offer to purchase the Spanish town, for which he did not hesitate for a moment to acquire it.

It was "destiny" to buy this town

The purchase, according to the media, includes 42 houses, an inn, a bar, a swimming pool, a church, an old sign, as well as a variety of sports facilities. For all the above, and despite the enormous investment work to bring this space to life, Jason Lee Beckwith revealed that he intends to turn this site into a hotel with hostel, seasonal apartments, spaces for digital nomads, and even long-term rental houses through an affordable price structure.

For this, the Californian would need about $5 million to fulfill the rehabilitation processes of the church, as well as other buildings that retain their original structure despite the passage of time.

“I love Spain and this is what I can do to earn my place. Look at what I have seen, walk through nature and observe,” declared Beckwith.

Salto de Castro was built as a shelter for the workers of the hydroelectric plant in the region known as La Raya, which marks the border between Spain and Portugal. However, despite the development of the village, the automation of operations at the dam, in 1989, led to the employees being transferred, leaving the town completely abandoned.

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence