A proposed major upgrade to the Joseph Flores Memorial Ypao Beach Park was the focus of the Guam Visitors Bureau's budget hearing today.

GVB President and CEO Carl Gutierrez said it's not just about upgrading a park, but more of a "paradigm shift" toward re-imagining the local tourism industry. Gutierrez compared it to the development of "Tumon Pleasure Island" which he launched during his tenure as governor during the 1990s.

"Since then 10, 20 some years ago nothing really big has come about to reshape and show that Guam is nothing more than a few hotels for you to stay, and beaches in front of your hotels," Gutierrez said. "We need another vision and the governor asked us, and her vision was when we do something we do it for the people of Guam. The people of Guam for example at Ypao Beach."

GVB Vice President Gerry Perez then made a detailed presentation of what will be a 5G technology smart park, designed to employ the latest innovations to entertain and inform both tourists and locals. He explained the concept.

"The park is broken down into different uses. some of it involves uses for children, some of it is for partying, some of it is for exercise, and so on," he said. "And so as an example, Famagu'on, or the FUNagu'on field, its a play on words for famagu'on right, that section closest to the Hilton would be something like this that we would develop."

Regarding its budget request for Fiscal Year 2023, GVB is asking for $26 million, or $12 million more than the current fiscal year.