Operator News
Spain – Minister of Industry and Tourism comes out in support of Hard Rock in Tarragona
By James - 5 March 2024
The Minister of Industry and Tourism of Spain, Jordi Hereu, has commented on the mega complex that Hard Rock is seeking to build in Tarragona, affirming that if it does go ahead , then it would contribute to diversifying tourism in the autonomous community of Catalonia.
Talking to press, Hereu pointed out that in his opinion, Hard Rock “is part of a more complex proposal” in the context of “the diversification of products, routes, destinations . . .Tarragona is an example of a place where different tourist offers coexist. We must bet on diversification, and it is evident that Hard Rock would contribute to the seasonality of tourism,” he said.
He went on to say that Tarragona is a strategic centre in Catalonia and Spain, and therefore, the Government has invested more than EUR 160 million in the local industry and in the Repsol petrochemical complex in the area
The Hard Rock megaproject has become a main point of contention in the Parliament of Catalonia regarding the general budgets proposed by the Government of the Generalitat.
Although the parliament had previously expressed opposition to the megaproject, the future of the budget law for 2024 would lean towards Hard Rock’s proposal, considering that two of the largest parliamentary groups, the Socialist Party and Junts per Catalunya party, support the investment.
However other groups in parliament have expressed their opposition to the project. The government would need opposition support to get its budget approved. The Catalan government approved the 2024 budget for Catalonia at the beginning of this month but it still lacks enough support to get it through. The first vote is scheduled for mid-March. In order to get its budget through, the government would in all likelihood need the support of the Comuns party but they are strongly opposed to the project due to environmental concerns with some members of the party saying that they would withdraw their support for the budget if the government does not cancel the project.
Scheduled to open in 2017 Barcelona World was the result of a deal struck between Catalan President Artur Mas, and real estate developer Veremonte Participacoes S.A., who in 2012 agreed to create a mega-complex that would house six theme parks, six hotels, casinos, theatres and more. However in June 2015, the Veremonte Group announced its decision to withdraw from the Barcelona World project.
In May 2018, the Government of Catalonia finally declared that it had given Hard Rock Entertainment World permission to build a casino and leisure complex in the southern towns of Vila-seca and Salou. Although the scope of the project is smaller than initially envisaged the site will still be a major development and will have a huge impact on the area if it is given the green light. However the project has been beset by problems most notably over planning permission. The two local municipalities have also been unable to agree in the past on how taxes from the new resort will be divided. The area has also been affected by a long running drought which complicates the future of the project even further.
