excerpts by Ingrid Hart, Baja Traveler Magazine
Steve Games knows how to tell a good fish story. Like the first time he ever set foot in Baja as a sixth grader in 1960. His mom came to get him from the principal's office-he was under suspension for a mild infraction. A few days off from school seemed like a good time to go fishing near Cabo San Lucas, although it wasn't meant as a reward. His mom, a multi-instrument rated pilot flew them on a Cessna 310 from Los Angeles onto a dirt strip in Rancho Buena Vista.
When they got there, the weather was rough. The 24 foot wooden fishing boat that was to take them out to sea was anchored offshore and couldn't come get them. Steve and his mom swam out to it through the roughest water he'd ever been in. Climbing onboard a boat without a foot step was no small task- but they were undaunted. His mom got on first, pulled Steve in and they were off to go fishing. They caught a 100-pound tuna. The weather got worse and they had to exit the boat and swim back to shore through the pounding surf. Steve asked his mom what to do with the tuna and she told him to bring it along. So there was little Stevie Games swimming to shore with a tuna as big as he was, exhilarated. "That was my first taste of Baja," said Games. "As they say, once you have the dust of Baja in your nose you can never get it out."
Games is a Vietnam War navy veteran and a self-proclaimed fanatic flag-waver-- a true-blue American. "I believe in my country and I'm proud to be a salesman of the American dream," said Games. "I chose to enter real estate because I felt it was the most rewarding thing a human being could sell. Ownership of American residential real estate is the most important investment a person can make on Earth. I believe that what I am doing in Mexico is an advantage to my country--that the connection between Mexico and America has to grow and that it is our responsibility at some time to not need that wall."
While Games' real estate holdings are vast-- he owns homes in La Jolla, Pt Loma, Cabo San Lucas, Palmilla, and Cabo del Sol, his heart resides on the white sandy beach he dubbed "Bahia de los Sueños", the Bay of Dreams, a natural safe harbor between Los Cabos and La Paz. Games and hos partners are developing a 4,300 acre private resort community that already has several magnificent homes in place overlooking the azure waters of the serene Sea of Cortez. Games' particular focus is in the 100-plus acre dream that has been appropriately named "GranSueño" or Grand Dream; a low density ultimate service resort with a combination of a hotel and ownership hotel-style villas. Anchoring the entire Bahia de los Sueños is the recently completed 18-hole Bahia de los Sueños Golf & Beach Club designed by renowned award winning golf architect Tom Doak. "We are creating a world-class resort that we are constructing with patience and respect of the environment and culture", said Games. "Our motivation is to share a lifestyle with individuals who have dreams similar to our own."
The bedrock of Games' life is his wife of 18 years, Sandy, whom he credits as giving him the strength to be successful. Together they have a 12 year old daughter Sarah, a pint-sized ambassador who is fluent in Spanish and bridges the cultural divide between American and Mexican culture. "If the future of North America is to be one of the strongest placs on Earth," said Games, "then everyone should continue to meld the two cultures together." "We must do everything that we can so that our children respect each other."
In addition to his passion of GranSueño, Steve Games is owner/partner of Prudential's two real estate franchises in western Mexico. He is revered as one of the most successful people in the residential real estate business, leading Prudential California Realty, one of the nation's top five real estate brokerage firms. Upon his departure from that company, they had 70 offices in Southern California, over 4,000 sales associates, and $19 billion dollars in annual sales. According to Debra Dodson, a broker/partner of Games for Prudential California Realty/Cabo Gold Division, Steve is an all-around good guy, full of creative energy and keeps longtime relationships. "When others see the glass half-empty, he sees it half full."
Games once again considers the wisdom of his beloved mother. She asked him if he thought the ocean and mountains of Baja were beautiful. He told her yes. She explained to him that the true beauty was the heart of the Mexican people-- that they were kind, generous and hard working. " I believe that to this day," said Games. "I love Mexico."