It was developed in four phases under a Private Public Partnership (PPP) promoted by the Government of Cross River State.

[1] The Tinapa Free Zone & Resort has facilities for retail and wholesale activities as well as leisure and entertainment.

For consumers, the resort sits on approximately 80,000 square metres (860,000 sq ft) of lettable space for retail and wholesale made up of four emporiums of 10,000 square metres (110,000 sq ft) each, smaller shops, and warehouses.

An entertainment strip contains a casino, digital cinema, children's arcade, restaurants, a mini amphitheater, a night club and pubs.

Former governor Liyel Imoke appealed to the Federal Government to take a stake in the project, and to remove uncertainty about its status which is hindering investment.

[3] A February 2008 report by ThisDay newspaper said the Federal Government had not yet approved the operating procedures and guidelines.

Governor Liyel Imoke told a CNN reporter that the state government was looking for private sector investors who would run the project more efficiently.