Culiacán
Encyclopedia
Culiacán is a city in northwestern Mexico
, the largest city in the state of Sinaloa
as well as its capital and capital of the municipality of Culiacán. With 675,773 inhabitants in the city (census of 2010), and 858,638 in the municipality, it is the largest city in the state of Sinaloa
. The municipality has a total area of 4758 km² (1,837.1 sq mi).
The city is located in a valley at the confluence of the Tamazula
and Humaya River
s, where the two meet to form the Culiacán River
, and is located 55 meters above sea level. It is located in the center of the state with almost equal distance to the other urban centers of the state: Los Mochis
to the north, and Mazatlán
to the south. In addition, Culiacán is the birthplace and base of the Sinaloa Cartel
.
".
Before the Spaniards arrived from Europe, this site had been a small Indian settlement since 628 when
Amerindians had first founded it.
and named San Miguel de Culiacán. In the same decade, it was the terminus of the long journey of Cabeza de Vaca and company among natives. Explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
set out from Culiacán to explore what is now the southwestern United States. Settlers from Europe came to Culiacán, and in the following centuries, Culiacán continued to be a quiet town. It was only after the federal government built dams in the adjacent areas in the 1950s that agriculture
exploded and the city began to grow exponentially. Some of Mexico's largest agricultural conglomerates operate in the vast and fertile coastal plains. The agro-industrial economy continues to be the single largest contributor to the region's legal economy. While the vast majority of technical and skilled labor is educated locally, the once-seasonal field labor pool now experiences a yearly shortage of workers. International patterns of migration now draw laborers from deep within Mexico's south to the northern border states and into the United States.
Beginning in the late 1950s, Culiacán became the birthplace of an incipient underground economy
based on illicit drugs exported to the United States. The completion of the Pan-American Highway
and the regional airport in the 1960s accelerated the expansion of a workable distribution infrastructure for the enterprising few families that would later come to dominate the international drug cartels along Mexico's Pacific Northwest.
farmers in the Sierra
with local brown heroin refineries. This, coupled with the thriving demand for marijuana stuffed local banks and private coffers with enough local capital to expand the 'above the board' economies. During the presidency of Luis Echeverría
, federal policy attempted to break the growing alliances that were forged between revolutionary student uprisings and the drug dealers. Frequent confrontations between government soldiers on one side and local drug dealers were commonplace in Culiacán's streets. Drug traffickers during the 1980s diversified into legitimate infrastructure investments in banking, agriculture, transportation, international money exchanges, United States real estate, and import brokerage businesses. The diversification included alliance building efforts that resulted in the formation of powerful cartel
s based on traditional clan and familial relationships of the founding families. This continued into collaborative relationships that linked the Culiacán-based drug trade with other networks in Latin America, Asia, and Europe. In part due to US-led successes against the Colombian distribution networks in the Caribbean
and in South Florida
, the 1980s also saw the rise in the fortunes of the Pacific Coast cartels as they filled the vacuum created in the cocaine
trade. Later, in a concerted effort to escape scrutiny and consolidate regional markets, the Culiacán cartels relocated into Jalisco
state and Baja California
while maintaining a low profile presence in the hometown. More recently, the influence of the cartel networks along the US-Mexico border expanded through the 1990s and into the current decade. Diversification now also includes both legitimate US-registered enterprises and the usurpation of many regional markets of the illicit methamphetamine
trade. Although sometimes referred to as the Guadalajara Cartel
, the Tijuana Cartel
, and by other monikers, the key players continue to be Culiacán's native sons. The corrupting influence of the drug trade on government institutions is well documented on both sides of the border and continues to flourish despite efforts and infrequent successes of United States federal law enforcement agencies.
Culiacán's reputation as a narco city has made it the de facto home of the Mexican narcocorrido. In the midst of the Mexican drug war
, many Culiacán-based corrido musicians said they were hesitant to play certain songs for fear of offending the wrong trafficker.
. Summers are very hot and humid, shade temperatures can reach 42 °C and high humidy can produce heat indexes of 50 °C - 55 °C. Winters are much milder with less humidity and an average high of 27 °C, with cool nights.
There are companies of national importance headquartered in Culiacán like Coppel
, Casa Ley
, Homex
, among others.
to Culiacán comes from all parts of the world, but especially from southern Mexico, Japan, China, and Europe (Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Greece).
Though there are several high speed roads, most of the city's streets are rather narrow and traffic jams are common at rush hours. The city has a total of nine bridges: six across the Tamazula river, two spanning the Humaya River and the longest one crossing the Culiacán river. Efforts to solve traffic problems have been made but most of the city streets and bridges are now crowded and insufficient to handle regular and rush hours traffic; a forty km/h speed limit in most parts of the city worsens the situation.
It was recently published that there are 300,000 cars in Culiacán making the per capita number of cars one of the highest in the country considering the 745,000 inhabitants.
Culiacán is a rail junction and is located on the Panamerican Highway that runs north to the United States and South to Guadalajara and Mexico City and the Benito Juárez Highway or Maxipista, which is a toll road that runs parallel to the toll-free Federal highway. Culiacán is linked to the satellite city of Navolato
by an excellent Freeway that that now reaches Altata
, in the Pacific Ocean coast. Culiacán is served by Aeropuerto Internacional de Culiacán
and Central Internacional de Autobuses Millennium.
Culiacán is linked to Tamazula de Victoria
in Durango state.
Shopping Centers
Forum Mall (Mexico)- Largest Mall in Culiacán. It offers stores like Liverpool, Sears, Zara, C&A, Starbucks, Sanborns, and Tous.
Plaza Galerias San Miguel- Second Large Mall. It offers Sears, Citi Cinemas movie theater, and mainly shoe stores.
Plaza Fiesta
Plaza La Campiña.
Movie theaters: Cinépolis, MM Cinemas, & Citi Cinemas.
Parks: Parque Ernesto Millán Escalante (previously known as Culiacán '87) with pools, attractions, an artificial lake, gardens, sports courts, the longest water slide in northern Mexico, an open air Hellenic theatre, etc. Other parks include Parque Revolución, Parque Constitución Civic Center.
Gambling and Casinos:
Caliente(3), Royal Yak, Ermitage, Las Palmas (Nuevo León franchise),Lomas Play and Play City (2008).
Water Parks:
Club Splash!- Its one of the largest water parks in the state of Sinaloa.
Nearby towns and villages:
El Conchal and other small villages with a population of 500 hundred or less are located 8 kilometers from El Dorado. There people live on fishing and tourism. People charge 350 pesos to give boat group tours.
from the Liga Mexicana del Pacífico
,two championship in Caribbean series in 1996 and 2002; and soccer with Los Dorados de Sinaloa from the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación
who play at the Estadio Banorte (Estadio Carlos González
). Duck
, dove
and goose
hunting season goes from early November through March. Culiacán also holds a yearly international marathon.
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, the largest city in the state of Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
as well as its capital and capital of the municipality of Culiacán. With 675,773 inhabitants in the city (census of 2010), and 858,638 in the municipality, it is the largest city in the state of Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
. The municipality has a total area of 4758 km² (1,837.1 sq mi).
The city is located in a valley at the confluence of the Tamazula
Tamazula River
The Tamazula River is a river in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, that connects with the Humaya River in the city of Culiacán to form the Culiacán River. The source of the water is the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. The water flows into the city from the east. The water then flows to the Pacific...
and Humaya River
Humaya River
The Humaya River is a river in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico, that connects to the Tamazula River in the city of Culiacán to form the Culiacán River. The source of the river is the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. The water flows from the north of the city. The water then flows to the Pacific Ocean....
s, where the two meet to form the Culiacán River
Culiacán River
The Culiacán River is a river that is formed by the connection of the Tamazula River and Humaya River in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. The water from the river then flows to the Pacific Ocean....
, and is located 55 meters above sea level. It is located in the center of the state with almost equal distance to the other urban centers of the state: Los Mochis
Los Mochis
Los Mochis is a coastal city in northern Sinaloa, Mexico. It serves as the municipal seat of the municipality of Ahome. As of the 2010 census, the population was 256,613, which was 61 percent of the municipality's population....
to the north, and Mazatlán
Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa; the surrounding municipio for which the city serves as the municipal seat is Mazatlán Municipality. It is located at on the Pacific coast, across from the southernmost tip of the Baja California peninsula.Mazatlán is a Nahuatl word meaning...
to the south. In addition, Culiacán is the birthplace and base of the Sinaloa Cartel
Sinaloa Cartel
The Sinaloa Cartel is the most powerful drug cartel in Mexico and considered by the United States Intelligence Community as "the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world." The Sinaloa Cartel is based in the city of Culiacán, Sinaloa, but also operates in the Mexican states of Baja...
.
Pre-Colonial Period
Most people agree that the name Culiacán apparently comes from the word colhuacan, which can mean "palace of snakes", but traditionally the most accepted translation would be "place of those who adore the crooked god ColtzinColtzin
The Coltzin petroglyph, located approximately 65 km north of Mazatlán, Mexico, is approximately 8 m in diameter, carved into a cliff. It looks somewhat like a solstice wheel, but its meaning not known....
".
Before the Spaniards arrived from Europe, this site had been a small Indian settlement since 628 when
Amerindians had first founded it.
Foundation
The city existing today was founded in 1531 by the Spanish captain Nuño Beltrán de GuzmánNuño Beltrán de Guzmán
Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán or sometimes Nuño de Guzmán was a Spanish conquistador and colonial administrator in New Spain. He was Governor of the province of Pánuco from 1525–1533, and of Nueva Galicia from 1529–1534, President of the first Audiencia from 1528-30. He founded several cities in...
and named San Miguel de Culiacán. In the same decade, it was the terminus of the long journey of Cabeza de Vaca and company among natives. Explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado
Francisco Vásquez de Coronado y Luján was a Spanish conquistador, who visited New Mexico and other parts of what are now the southwestern United States between 1540 and 1542...
set out from Culiacán to explore what is now the southwestern United States. Settlers from Europe came to Culiacán, and in the following centuries, Culiacán continued to be a quiet town. It was only after the federal government built dams in the adjacent areas in the 1950s that agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
exploded and the city began to grow exponentially. Some of Mexico's largest agricultural conglomerates operate in the vast and fertile coastal plains. The agro-industrial economy continues to be the single largest contributor to the region's legal economy. While the vast majority of technical and skilled labor is educated locally, the once-seasonal field labor pool now experiences a yearly shortage of workers. International patterns of migration now draw laborers from deep within Mexico's south to the northern border states and into the United States.
Post War Era
Underground economy
A black market or underground economy is a market in goods or services which operates outside the formal one supported by established state power. Typically the totality of such activity is referred to with the definite article as a complement to the official economies, by market for such goods and...
based on illicit drugs exported to the United States. The completion of the Pan-American Highway
Pan-American Highway
The Pan-American Highway is a network of roads measuring about in total length. Except for an rainforest break, called the Darién Gap, the road links the mainland nations of the Americas in a connected highway system. According to Guinness World Records, the Pan-American Highway is the world's...
and the regional airport in the 1960s accelerated the expansion of a workable distribution infrastructure for the enterprising few families that would later come to dominate the international drug cartels along Mexico's Pacific Northwest.
Illegal Drugs path
During the turbulent 1970s the well-entrenched 'gomeros' enjoyed the fruits of their criminal enterprises which linked opiumOpium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
farmers in the Sierra
Sierra Madre Occidental
The Sierra Madre Occidental is a mountain range in western Mexico.-Setting:The range runs north to south, from just south of the Sonora–Arizona border southeast through eastern Sonora, western Chihuahua, Sinaloa, Durango, Zacatecas, Nayarit, Jalisco, Aguascalientes to Guanajuato, where it joins...
with local brown heroin refineries. This, coupled with the thriving demand for marijuana stuffed local banks and private coffers with enough local capital to expand the 'above the board' economies. During the presidency of Luis Echeverría
Luis Echeverría
Luis Echeverría Álvarez served as President of Mexico from 1970 to 1976.-Early history:Echeverría joined the faculty of the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 1947 and taught political theory...
, federal policy attempted to break the growing alliances that were forged between revolutionary student uprisings and the drug dealers. Frequent confrontations between government soldiers on one side and local drug dealers were commonplace in Culiacán's streets. Drug traffickers during the 1980s diversified into legitimate infrastructure investments in banking, agriculture, transportation, international money exchanges, United States real estate, and import brokerage businesses. The diversification included alliance building efforts that resulted in the formation of powerful cartel
Drug cartel
Drug cartels are criminal organizations developed with the primary purpose of promoting and controlling drug trafficking operations. They range from loosely managed agreements among various drug traffickers to formalized commercial enterprises. The term was applied when the largest trafficking...
s based on traditional clan and familial relationships of the founding families. This continued into collaborative relationships that linked the Culiacán-based drug trade with other networks in Latin America, Asia, and Europe. In part due to US-led successes against the Colombian distribution networks in the Caribbean
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
and in South Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, the 1980s also saw the rise in the fortunes of the Pacific Coast cartels as they filled the vacuum created in the cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
trade. Later, in a concerted effort to escape scrutiny and consolidate regional markets, the Culiacán cartels relocated into Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
state and Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
while maintaining a low profile presence in the hometown. More recently, the influence of the cartel networks along the US-Mexico border expanded through the 1990s and into the current decade. Diversification now also includes both legitimate US-registered enterprises and the usurpation of many regional markets of the illicit methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
trade. Although sometimes referred to as the Guadalajara Cartel
Guadalajara Cartel
The Guadalajara Cartel was a Mexican drug cartel which was formed in the 1980s by Rafael Caro Quintero, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo and Ernesto Fonseca Carrillo in order to ship heroin and marijuana to the United States...
, the Tijuana Cartel
Tijuana Cartel
The Tijuana Cartel is a Mexican drug cartel based in Tijuana. The cartel has been described as "one of the biggest and most violent criminal groups in Mexico"...
, and by other monikers, the key players continue to be Culiacán's native sons. The corrupting influence of the drug trade on government institutions is well documented on both sides of the border and continues to flourish despite efforts and infrequent successes of United States federal law enforcement agencies.
Culiacán's reputation as a narco city has made it the de facto home of the Mexican narcocorrido. In the midst of the Mexican drug war
Mexican Drug War
The Mexican Drug War is an ongoing armed conflict taking place among rival drug cartels who fight each other for regional control, and Mexican government forces who seek to combat drug trafficking. However, the government's principal goal has been to put down the drug-related violence that was...
, many Culiacán-based corrido musicians said they were hesitant to play certain songs for fear of offending the wrong trafficker.
Climate
Culiacán has a tropical wet and dry climateTropical savanna climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a type of climate that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories "Aw" and '"As."...
. Summers are very hot and humid, shade temperatures can reach 42 °C and high humidy can produce heat indexes of 50 °C - 55 °C. Winters are much milder with less humidity and an average high of 27 °C, with cool nights.
Economy
Culiacán's economy is mainly agricultural and commerce, being a trade center for produce, meat and fish. Among other industries, Culiacán represents 32% of the state economy.There are companies of national importance headquartered in Culiacán like Coppel
Coppel
Coppel or Coppell may refer to:* Alfred Coppel , American author* Jérôme Coppel , French road racing cyclist...
, Casa Ley
Casa Ley
Casa Ley is a Mexican grocery store chain. Most of its stores are located in the western Mexico states of Baja California, Sonora, Sinaloa, Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacán, Coahuila, Chihuahua, Durango, Guanajuato and Baja California Sur, it's the Mexico's largest privately-held supermarket...
, Homex
Homex
Homex is a leading Mexican construction and real estate company, engaged in the development, construction and sale of affordable entry-level and middle-income housing in Mexico and Brazil....
, among others.
Demography
The total population of the city is 675,773. ImmigrationImmigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
to Culiacán comes from all parts of the world, but especially from southern Mexico, Japan, China, and Europe (Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Greece).
Universities
- Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa
- Universidad de San Miguel
- Instituto Tecnológico de Culiacán
- Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) - Campus Sinaloa
- Universidad TecMilenio - Campus Culiacán
- Universidad de Occidente - Campus Culiacán
- Universidad de Veracruz - Campus Culiacán
- Universidad Católica de Culiacán
- Universidad Valle del Bravo - Campus Culiacán
- Universidad Tecnológica de Sinaloa
- Universidad México Internacional
- Escuela Libre de Derecho de Sinaloa
- Universidad Casa BlancaUniversidad Casa BlancaThe Universidad Casa Blanca , is a private arts and design university located in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. It is one of the state's preeminent institutions of higher learning and one of the best graphic design, architecture, interior design, fashion design and marketing schools in Sinaloa,...
- Universidad Autónoma de Durango-Campus Culiacán
- Universidad Asia-Pacifico
- Centro de Estudios de Unidad Superior (CEUS)
- Universidad Golfo de México - Campus Culiacán
Transportation
It was recently published that there are 300,000 cars in Culiacán making the per capita number of cars one of the highest in the country considering the 745,000 inhabitants.
Culiacán is a rail junction and is located on the Panamerican Highway that runs north to the United States and South to Guadalajara and Mexico City and the Benito Juárez Highway or Maxipista, which is a toll road that runs parallel to the toll-free Federal highway. Culiacán is linked to the satellite city of Navolato
Navolato
Navolato is a city in Navolato Municipality in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. It is located on the central coast part of the state, the municipality bordering on the Gulf of California....
by an excellent Freeway that that now reaches Altata
Altata
Altata is a small town connected to the Pacific Ocean, located about 45 miles west of Culiacán, Sinaloa in Mexico. It has a very nice beach and much wildlife: octopus, toninas, starfish, jellyfish, shark, birds, and many fish species. El Tambor and Nuevo Altata are nearby beaches. The area would...
, in the Pacific Ocean coast. Culiacán is served by Aeropuerto Internacional de Culiacán
Federal de Bachigualato International Airport
Federal Bachigualato International Airport Is an international airport located at Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico. It handles national and international air traffic of the city of Culiacán....
and Central Internacional de Autobuses Millennium.
Culiacán is linked to Tamazula de Victoria
Tamazula de Victoria
Tamazula de Victoria is a small town and seat of the municipality of Tamazula in the Mexican state of Durango, near the Sierra Madre Occidental mountains. The town is located about 1.5 hours east of Culiacán, Sinaloa. General Guadalupe Victoria, the first president of Mexico, was born there, hence...
in Durango state.
Tourism
- ImalaImalaImāla is a shift exhibited in many Modern and Classical accents of Arabic, where the vowel , be it long or short, is raised to or even in certain morphological or phonological contexts...
's hot springs, which are about a 30 minute ride from the city and close to several dams and reservoirs where you can fish large mouth bass all year round. - AltataAltataAltata is a small town connected to the Pacific Ocean, located about 45 miles west of Culiacán, Sinaloa in Mexico. It has a very nice beach and much wildlife: octopus, toninas, starfish, jellyfish, shark, birds, and many fish species. El Tambor and Nuevo Altata are nearby beaches. The area would...
beach located 30 minutes from Culiacán where there has been extensive development over the last couple of years. It has a "sister" Beach called Isla Cortés where this project of travel destination, has Begun with some Restaurants, and Private Areas. - The CathedralCathedralA cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
, a 19th century church which began construction in the 1830s. - Plazuela Alvaro ObregónÁlvaro ObregónGeneral Álvaro Obregón Salido was the President of Mexico from 1920 to 1924. He was assassinated in 1928, shortly after winning election to another presidential term....
, which was the place for social gatherings in the 1800s. - La Lomita or Templo de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe is the tallest church in Culiacán, placed over a hill, and it has a view of the entire city.
- The Centro Cultural Genaro Estrada known by the locals as "Difocur" encompasses a theater, movie theater, a cafe and a group of museums specialized in local culture. DIFOCUR is also the home of the Orquesta Sinfonica Sinaloa de las Artes. An award winning orchestrafactFactA fact is something that has really occurred or is actually the case. The usual test for a statement of fact is verifiability, that is whether it can be shown to correspond to experience. Standard reference works are often used to check facts...
, the OSSLA performs a 42 week season (September to June) of symphony, pops, opera, ballet, and chamber music, and features musicians from more than fifteen different countries, including Mexico, the United States, England, Scotland, Canada, Romania, Argentina, and others. Working under the auspicies of the government of Sinaloa, the OSSLA also performs many outreach and educational programs around the state of Sinaloa, as well as throughout Mexico. - Regional History Museum in the "Parque Constitución", a large art museum downtown and a number of small art galleries owned by several of the local universities.
- Botanical Garden and Centro de Ciencias de Sinaloa, a science museum that holds the fifth largest meteoriteMeteoriteA meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
on earth. - A baseball stadium, the "Estadio Angel Flores" home of Los Tomateros de Culiacán, a bigger football arena called "Estadio Banorte" (Former Estadio Carlos GonzálezEstadio Carlos GonzálezEstadio Banorte is a relative new and small stadium with a capacity of 23,000 seats. This sport facility is located in Culiacán, Sinaloa, and is used mostly for soccer games and is the home of the new team CSD Sinaloa. The stadium was constructed in three months, which is a world record...
) home of Los Dorados de Sinaloa, Mexican Football Team, and several university stadiums. - In Downtown, the best preserved old street is the "calle Rosales", between Rosales square and the CathedralCathedralA cathedral is a Christian church that contains the seat of a bishop...
.
Attractions
Forum Mall (Mexico)- Largest Mall in Culiacán. It offers stores like Liverpool, Sears, Zara, C&A, Starbucks, Sanborns, and Tous.
Plaza Galerias San Miguel- Second Large Mall. It offers Sears, Citi Cinemas movie theater, and mainly shoe stores.
Plaza Fiesta
Plaza La Campiña.
Movie theaters: Cinépolis, MM Cinemas, & Citi Cinemas.
Parks: Parque Ernesto Millán Escalante (previously known as Culiacán '87) with pools, attractions, an artificial lake, gardens, sports courts, the longest water slide in northern Mexico, an open air Hellenic theatre, etc. Other parks include Parque Revolución, Parque Constitución Civic Center.
Gambling and Casinos:
Caliente(3), Royal Yak, Ermitage, Las Palmas (Nuevo León franchise),Lomas Play and Play City (2008).
Water Parks:
Club Splash!- Its one of the largest water parks in the state of Sinaloa.
Nearby towns and villages:
El Conchal and other small villages with a population of 500 hundred or less are located 8 kilometers from El Dorado. There people live on fishing and tourism. People charge 350 pesos to give boat group tours.
Sports
The city is home of two professional league sport teams: baseball with Tomateros de CuliacánTomateros de Culiacán
The Tomateros de Culiacán are a baseball team in the Mexican Pacific League. Based in Culiacán, the Tomateros have won nine domestic titles and two Caribbean World Series, in and in...
from the Liga Mexicana del Pacífico
Liga Mexicana del Pacífico
The Mexican Pacific League is a winter minor baseball league in Mexico. The eight-team league's regular season runs from October to December and is followed by a playoff series in January to determine the league champion...
,two championship in Caribbean series in 1996 and 2002; and soccer with Los Dorados de Sinaloa from the Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación
Federación Mexicana de Fútbol Asociación
The Mexican Federation of Football is the governing body of association football in Mexico. It administers the Mexican national team, the Mexican league and all affiliated amateur sectors, and is in charge of promoting, organizing, directing, spreading, and supervising competitive football in Mexico...
who play at the Estadio Banorte (Estadio Carlos González
Estadio Carlos González
Estadio Banorte is a relative new and small stadium with a capacity of 23,000 seats. This sport facility is located in Culiacán, Sinaloa, and is used mostly for soccer games and is the home of the new team CSD Sinaloa. The stadium was constructed in three months, which is a world record...
). Duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
, dove
Dove
Pigeons and doves constitute the bird family Columbidae within the order Columbiformes, which include some 300 species of near passerines. In general terms "dove" and "pigeon" are used somewhat interchangeably...
and goose
Goose
The word goose is the English name for a group of waterfowl, belonging to the family Anatidae. This family also includes swans, most of which are larger than true geese, and ducks, which are smaller....
hunting season goes from early November through March. Culiacán also holds a yearly international marathon.
Entertainment
- Yolanda AndradeYolanda AndradeYolanda Andrade is a Mexican celebrity born in Culiacán, Sinaloa. Her career started at the telenovela Yo no creo en los hombres , along with Gabriela Roel and Alfredo Adame, which allowed her to work in bigger productions such as Las secretas intenciones with Cristian Castro.-Biography:After...
, actress - César MillánCesar MillanCesar Millan, is a Mexican-born American dog trainer. A self-taught expert, he is widely known for his television series The Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millan, now in its seventh season and broadcast in more than eighty countries worldwide...
, dog trainer known for his Dog WhispererDog WhispererDog Whisperer with Cesar Millan is a reality television series that features Cesar Millan's work with problem dogs. In the United States, the program airs exclusively on the Nat Geo WILD channel with season 8 expected to premiere in 2012....
television show - Paul RodriguezPaul RodríguezPaul Rodriguez is a Mexican-American stand-up comedian and actor.-Personal life:Rodriguez was born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, México to Mexican agriculture ranchers.. His family migrated to East Los Angeles, where he enlisted in the military; he was stationed in Iceland and Duluth, Minnesota...
, Hollywood actor and talk show host - Chalino SánchezChalino SánchezRosalino "Chalino" Sánchez was a Mexican singer and songwriter.-Early life:Born and raised in a poor family on a ranch called "Las Flechas", Badiraguato, Sinaloa, Mexico. His father was Santos Sánchez and his mother Sannorina Felix. He had seven siblings: Armando, Lázaro, Régulo, Lucas,...
, Singer - Luis CamposLuis CamposLuis Campos, also known by the stage name Chocs is a Mexican Rock/Jazz Drummer, best known as a member of the band Collinz Room.-Early life:...
, Drummer (Collinz Room, Noelia) - Roberto Tapia, Singer
- Gerardo Ortiz, Singer, Composer
- Sheyla TadeoSheyla TadeoSheyla Tadeo is a Mexican actress, comedienne and singer, best known for her appearances on Televisa's various television series....
, actress, comedienne and singer
Sports
- Julio César ChávezJulio César ChávezJulio César Chávez is a retired Mexican professional boxer.He is a six-time world champion in three weight divisions, and for several years he was considered the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world...
, MexicanMexican peopleMexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
boxingBoxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
legend with six world champions in three weight divisions - Julio César Chávez, Jr.Julio César Chávez, Jr.Julio César Chávez Carrasco , is an undefeated Mexican boxer and the current WBC Middleweight Champion. His younger brother Omar Chávez is also an undefeated prospect who fights at Welterweight....
, undefeated MiddleweightMiddleweightMiddleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
Contender - Omar ChávezOmar ChávezOmar Alonzo Chávez Carrasco is an undefeated Mexican boxer and the current WBC Youth Intercontinental Welterweight Champion. He's the son of legendary boxing champion Julio César Chávez and brother of current WBC Middleweight Champion, Julio César Chávez, Jr.-Personal life:Omar was born in the...
, undefeated WelterweightWelterweightWelterweight is a weight class division in combat sports. Originally the term "welterweight" was used only in boxing, but other combat sports like kickboxing, taekwondo and mixed martial arts also began to use it for their own weight division system...
Prospect - Óliver PérezOliver PérezÓliver Pérez Martínez is a left-handed pitcher currently in the Washington Nationals organization.-San Diego Padres:...
, Major League BaseballMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player - Alberto Medina, football player
- Jared BorgettiJared BorgettiJared Francisco Borgetti Echavarría is a retired Mexican footballer. Borgetti is the all-time leading goal scorer for the Mexican national team, with 46 goals. A prolific goal scorer at both club and national level, Borgetti was renowned for his heading ability...
, football player - Jorge Iván EstradaJorge Iván EstradaJorge Iván Estrada Manjarrez is a Mexican professional footballer, currently playing as a defender for Santos, wearing jersey #4. He made his debut October 20, 2004 against Pachuca, a game which resulted in a 1-0 loss for, his then-team, Dorados de Sinaloa...
, football player - Hector MorenoHéctor MorenoHéctor José Moreno Moreno is a retired Colombian racewalker. He went to four Olympian games and five world athletics . he is one of the best athletes in the past fifty years because only two Colombians also have a Panamerican title and he is one of them...
, football player
Modeling
- Paulina Flores Arias, Miss Mexico 2000, supermodel
- Rosa Maria Ojeda Cuen, Miss Mexico 2006
- Laura Elena Zuniga Huizar, Miss Mexico 2008, Miss Latinoamericana 2008, supermodel
- Perla Judith Beltran Acosta, Miss Mexico 2009, 2009 Miss World, Miss World top model