Paramount theme park Murcia, latest gossip

Paramount leisure park Murcia, spanish press claim location is now a 2 horse race

2010-10-07

Paramount theme park Murcia, latest gossip The La Verdad daily newspaper is claiming today that sources within the project have told them that the race to host the Paramount theme park has been narrowed down to two ponies, Alhama de Murcia and Fuente Alamo ( the Cartagena-Mucia Eje, eje being link.)

These are interesting revelations, following the furore created this week by the corruption arrests in Murcia which are casting doubts about the credibility of Jesus Samper and his business interests, which of course, include the Nuevo Condomino retail park and the Nueva Condomina residential urbanisation in Murcia.
Weve been researching and preparing a background report about the actual condomina project and the individuals involved in the corruption allegations, but it will have to wait until after the whats on bulletin has gone out on Thursday as its quite involved.

Pedro Cruz was extremely defensive about the reputation of Jesus Samper in his radio interview yesterday, the underlying message that this was a political manoeuvre designed to torpedo the project.

The "inside information" has conveniently leaked today diverting attention away from the negative implications of the corruption scandal and towards the positive continuation of the project, the piece saying that a decision is to be made next week about the location of the theme park.

Its interesting that the representatives from America who were due to visit the locations petitioning for the project have managed to do so without a single press bloodhound catching a whiff of it and ambushing them with a camera somewhere around the region, but this must have occurred if, as the paper claims, it has now been narrowed down to a 2 horse race.

Their source is quoted as saying, " Fuente Alamo and Murcia equally fulfil the conditions to welcome the investment, both having the quantity of land available , with a 1km radius.

The Mayoress of Fuente Alamo is said to have been discussing quite openly the negotiations between the department for development who are examining all the possibilities open to them, and the press, which seems a little premature whilst everything is still under wraps, but she, as is every other mayor in the region, is keen to see the project docking in her municipality.She says that a group of property owners are negotiating for the parcel, and that the land in question is dry land which is in the process of re-classification, but little more. Fuente Alamo is conveniently situated close to Corvera airport and with a newly improved access road linking it directly cross country.

Its a municipality which could do with a little more investment, having been traditionally a farming community, although it houses the prestigious Hacienda del Alamo development and was tipped to be the seat of the Hispania Racing team. Undoubtedly the Mayoress will be hoping this Paramount project doesnt fizzle away in the same way the Hispania project seems to have done.

President Valcarcel refused to be drawn today about the location of the project, and would not give any indication of the location, although some of the press are trying to credit him with confirming it is now a 2 horse race. To be honest, we didnt read that into the comments made, although doubtless it is more copyworthy than the non-committal comments which have been given since the original announcement surfaced, He was also firm in his defense of Jesus Samper.

The article recycles all available information, which is nothing, as the whole project is under a strict code of silence, and reminds readers that the banks who own the land on the Condado de Alhama 2 site are not disposed to sell at a low price, although would be glad to be rid of their property "investment" which is cluttering up asset sheets at the moment.

Murcia was being tipped by many to steal the deal from beneath the nose of Alhama, even though both Alhama and the eje Cartagena-Murcia fulfil the conditions being set more fully than the capital, due to the political manoeuvring which always accompanies important projects such as these and the commitments already made to the capital by Jesus Samper.

Its interesting to look at who is friends with who before speculating on an investment such as this, the bulk of business interests focusing firmly around the north of the capital, a site which also presented a seriously realistic option to host this project, due to the roadlinks, concentration of population, and substantial investment already made in the area.

Whether the revelations of this week have now destroyed the possibility of this area being a serious contender is yet to be seen.
Jesus Samper has confirmed that he has been asked to give evidence in the investigations, and has given paperwork to the investigating team as requested. He says that it is business as normal for him, and reminds reporters that he was implicated in a case 10 years ago, but then, as now, "it was nothing, and came to nothing, which is exactly what will happen now. "

The three arrested yesterday have bail set at 290,000, which is expected to be paid today, and the first phase of the corruption investigations is now said to be over, as the system concentrates on analysing the mass of information gathered and testimonies given.

Original text
La sociedad encargada de impulsar el proyecto Paramount tiene previsto decidir la próxima semana el emplazamiento del parque cinematográfico y de ocio. Los dos municipios que han quedado finalistas son los de Alhama de Murcia y Fuente Álamo, según ha podido saber esta Redacción.

Photo: Jesus Samper