German company protests against selection of builder of Riga hockey arena - newpsaper
A couple days after the construction company "Merks" was named as the constructor of the multi-functional ice hockey arena for the 2006 Ice Hockey World Championship, the Latvian partners of the German firm "Walter Group" released a protest letter, as they believe that their offer would be the most realistic chance to retain the opportunity for Latvia to host the championship, the daily "Diena" reports today.
A couple days after the construction company "Merks" was named as the constructor of the multi-functional ice hockey arena for the 2006 Ice Hockey World Championship, the Latvian partners of the German firm "Walter Group" released a protest letter, as they believe that their offer would be the most realistic chance to retain the opportunity for Latvia to host the championship, the daily "Diena" reports today.
The newspaper reminds that Riga Mayor Gundars Bojars previously evaluated the offer from the German company as serious but dilatory. The offer said that European Union (EU) funds could be found for the project, but in April, Bojars had admitted that it would be a time-consuming process, therefore impossible to carry out.
Whereas Andris Ameriks, chairman of the Riga City Council's city development committee, pointed out that he could not even recall the name of the German company, and stressed that there are no other alternatives at this time - "Merks" must construct the arena.
The letter says that the "Walter Group" would finance construction of the arena both from private and public sources - EU funding.
The German company could also assume administration of the arena after its completion, and ensure that the arena brings a profit instead of being a burden on the shoulders of tax-payers. The offer to build the arena for EUR 70-80 million (LVL46.2-52.8 million) would ask no additional guarantees from the state or local government.
As reported, "Merks Ltd.", owned by the Estonian construction company "Merko Ehitus", will construct the arena as was decided during the talks last week between the builders, the Latvian Hockey Federation (LHF) and the Riga City Council.
The newspaper reminds that Riga Mayor Gundars Bojars previously evaluated the offer from the German company as serious but dilatory. The offer said that European Union (EU) funds could be found for the project, but in April, Bojars had admitted that it would be a time-consuming process, therefore impossible to carry out.
Whereas Andris Ameriks, chairman of the Riga City Council's city development committee, pointed out that he could not even recall the name of the German company, and stressed that there are no other alternatives at this time - "Merks" must construct the arena.
The letter says that the "Walter Group" would finance construction of the arena both from private and public sources - EU funding.
The German company could also assume administration of the arena after its completion, and ensure that the arena brings a profit instead of being a burden on the shoulders of tax-payers. The offer to build the arena for EUR 70-80 million (LVL46.2-52.8 million) would ask no additional guarantees from the state or local government.
As reported, "Merks Ltd.", owned by the Estonian construction company "Merko Ehitus", will construct the arena as was decided during the talks last week between the builders, the Latvian Hockey Federation (LHF) and the Riga City Council.
