La Romana Province

Central Romana Corporation transformed this southeastern territory into a sugar empire and then, when sugar profits waned, into a luxury tourism destination—a vertical integration spanning plantation to golf course. The company formed in 1912, eventually controlling over 200,000 acres and becoming the Dominican Republic's largest private employer with 25,000 workers. In 2024, Central Romana produced 287,565 tons of sugar and 19 million gallons of molasses, contributing roughly 60% of domestic sugar supply and most U.S. quota exports.

In 1975, Gulf + Western transformed 7,000 acres of unused plantation land into Casa de Campo, the country's first luxury resort. The Teeth of the Dog golf course, ranked 54th globally by Golf Digest in 2024, became the Caribbean's premier destination. La Romana functions as a company town: nearly 100% employment, with most residents working either for Central Romana, its tourism subsidiaries, or the free trade zone. However, a 2022 U.S. Customs Withhold Release Order citing forced labor concerns blocked sugar exports to America, forcing the company to reform labor practices.

By 2026, La Romana will test whether the company-town model can survive reputational and regulatory pressure. If Central Romana resolves the forced labor findings and mechanization (55% of harvest in 2024) reduces reliance on controversial labor practices, the province could regain export access and sustain its dual sugar-tourism economy. If reputational damage spreads beyond sugar to tourism, the vertical integration that built La Romana may become its liability.