From fishing village to tourist real estate complexes: spatial practices in the transformation of the metropolitan coast

Abstract

In a logic of occupation marked by the convergence of real estate and tourism capital, the metropolitan coastline of the Brazilian Northeast region has been a strategic space, in the 21st century, for the implementation of mega real estate touri sm enterprises, of which we highlight the Tourist Real Estate Complexes. With the case study of the Vila Galé Cumbuco Complex, located in the municipality of Caucaia, in the metropolitan region of Fortaleza, Ceará, we analyze the spatial practices of the agents that produce hegemonic space involved in the management of the territory, highlighting the entrepreneurs of tourism and real estate capital, the State and landowners. Supported by bibliographic and documentary research in official gazettes of the state and municipality, journalistic articles and legislation, the article argues that the practices of selectivity, anticipation and spatial fragmentation are substantial in the transformation of coastal metropolitan spaces, and its readings elucidate the spatial content of decisive actions that are not limited to the administrative/business nature.