talking about alternative tourist models..... from
the ibiza sun again:
Golf Course Gets Go-Ahead
The Town Hall of San Antonio has given the go-ahead to the property developers, Andria Inversiones Inmobiliarias SA, to start initial applications for the building of a golf course in Benimussa. The rubber stamp comes on the back of remarks made by the mayor, Jose Sala, in his election speech that he would like to see more golf courses and the higher quality of tourist that this type of project would bring. The proposed site for the course will be in the area surrounding Ses Paises, Can Tomas and Benimussa. However, Sala confirmed that it will not include the Puig den Llucs zone, an area protected against the building of golf courses. When asked about the potential size, he confirmed that nothing had yet been decided, but that it would have to be at least the minimum permitted for a golf course which currently stands at 600,000 square metres.
The company, Andria Inversiones Inmobiliarias SA, confirmed that they had so far verbally secured almost 500,000 square metres of land and were in talks with other land owners. The company also revealed that the plans include the building of a 5-star hotel, with a capacity for 450 people, which would be open all year round. The cost of the golf course will be between 100-150 million euros and, if everything goes smoothly, could be a reality within three years. The company is owned by the controversial American businessman Marc Rich (which he most certainly is). The 73-year-old businessman has spent 18 years of his life fleeing from the American justice system, after he was accused in the early 1980´s of the biggest tax evasion in history. He was also accused of ignoring the Iranian oil embargo of the same period. Between 1983 and 2001 he was among the FBI`s 10 most wanted list, with a reward for his capture of 750,000 dollars offered at the time. His problems came to an end in 2001 when Bill Clinton, in one of his final acts as president, controversially granted Rich an official pardon. The businessman has had Spanish nationality since 1982, and is considered one of the biggest oil transporters in the world. He owns over 50 companies all over the world. Rich owns a house on the island where he spends his summers.
related thread:
How many five-star hotels?
"...
Golf Delay
The company interested in building a golf course within San Antonio announced
on Monday they would not, for the moment, be going ahead with the project.
The representative of Andria Inversiones Inmobiliaria, Carlos Greght, confirmed that after a meeting with the new environment minister at the Consell Insular, Albert Prats, the project had been put on hold. He said the minister had made it clear permission would not be granted for the project, but had not given his reasons for such an opinion. Greght said he was dismayed at the short-sightedness of the decision, and claimed he had been expecting to receive the green light to begin initial plans.
The project would have meant an investment of over €100m in the 18-hole golf course, which would have included a five-star hotel, open all year round. Greght revealed the complex would have given work to around 300 people and would have signified a measure of investment in the island as a whole. He added that it would have been a good opportunity to attract a tourist with a much higher disposable income than normal, and would have benefited a great deal of businesses.
The project had originally been planned for Benimussa, and Greght confirmed pre-contracts had already been drawn up with several land owners in the area giving the company 500,000 m2 of the 600,000 m2 minimum needed to build a course in Europe.
The Consell released a statement the following day claiming anyone who wished to apply for permission for a golf course was free to do so. However, they hinted they did not consider such a project to be to the benefit of the island.
The Hotel Federation also entered the debate, with the president pleading with the Consell to reconsider its position on the subject. Roberto Hortensius claimed the association's relationship with the new PSOE-run Consell was a good one and the previous problems, encountered with other socialist run Consell was a thing of the past. However, he did ask the administration to contemplate allowing a new golf course to be built, and said it would be extremely beneficial for the island. Hortensius claimed his association would never support a course built in a green area, like Cala d´Hort, but said they were in favour of the construction of a course in mature tourist destinations, such as San Antonio and Playa den Bossa.
It will be interesting to see if the Consell has a change of heart over the next four years,
as support grows from all corners for a new course to be built on the island.
..."
(ibiza-sun)
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