Smolyan constructs resorts- satellites nearby Pamporovo

Smolyan constructs resorts- satellites nearby Pamporovo

24 hours, 28.07.05, Valentin Hadjiev

What can ally Hristo Stoichkov and the mayor of Moscow Urii Lujkov except the love of sports? It turns out to be the investment in property in Bulgaria. The coach of the national football team is already owner of a huge terrain nearby Smolyan and started the projects. These days the Russian information sites announced that the government of Moscow decided to buy a complex in the region. Pamporovo has been determined as of the most perspective zones in Bulgaria. The candidature of the country for the winter Olympics will raise the interest. The yearly turn of the investment is minimum 8%. Thus Pamporovo, which seemed to stay back from the huge investments, especially comparing it to the mass construction works in Bansko and the seaside suddenly came out in the news. A reason for this is one project which is about to start is a sport- tourism center- “Perelik”. The free terrains for construction of hotels are not many. This year the investments are directed to the vicinity of the town. The most wanted regions are the lakes, Haidushki polyani, and Raikovski lyvadi. The municipal plans to turn them in satellites of the resort and to start the construction of the mega project “Perelik”, which will welcome the tourists. This winter to use the lift tourists had to wait half an hour and sometimes even more. The interest towards the satellite resort became bigger during the last months. Haidushki polyani are 20- 30 minutes by car to Pamporovo and the price per square meter reached 18 euro. A hotel and a holiday village are now being constructed there. This region is very attractive for the firms who received the concession project for Trakia highway. The municipal started a procedure of establishing “Haidushki polyani” as a separate site. The other two sites- Raikovski lyvadi and Ezerata are already included in the town’s plans, and have restrictions on the construction works. They will be transformed into resorts. No residential construction will be allowed. From the total number of 79 applied permissions for construction of hotels and other types of sites for recreation more than 30 are for Raikovski lyvadi. This site includes the lands within Pamporovo to the northern parts of the town. The price per square meter land is 30- 40 euro. The already applied plans are mainly for hotels and villa sites. “The municipal’s goal is to prepare the plan of the site as soon as possible, so that the construction process can be regulated. Apart from that a regular infrastructure, water supply and sewers will be provided to the properties of the investors”, explained Rumiana Yanchevska, vice mayor of Smolyan. The interest towards Ezerata is lower at the moment because of the lack of free land on the market. However the coach of the national football team- Hristo Stoichkov got 16 decares land for the construction of several vacation villas right next to St. Spirit Chapel north of Smolyan. The football star lately announced his intention personally in front of the mayor of the town Dora Yankova. Stoichkov together with two of his friends hired a team of specialists to make the future project. The land is next to the first station of the lift of “Ezerata” chalet to Snejanka peak which is connected by lifts to the different pistes of Pamporovo resort. The road distance is 10 kilometers. Sought of it is the picturesque neighbourhood Ezerovo and Smolyan will be 4-5 kilometers below Stoichkov’s villas. The famous Smolyan lakes are right next to Stoichkov’s property. These are 7 land sliding lakes. Stoichkov is still considering the type of construction he will use, but it is very likely to be small villas. The Ezerata is one of the few sites in the world with negative ionization of the air. This air is proved to have positive impact on the human organism and helps to recover from respiratory and skin diseases. Competitors of Stoichkov in the region are several private hotels, huts and holiday homes and lodgings in Ezerovo with 300 beds. The region is very close to the future sport- tourism complex “Perelik”. It will be on 2193 ha 1500- 2130 meters above the sea level. The snow in the Perelik part of Rodopi Mountain and Kozuyatak peak lasts 45 days longer than the one in Pamporovo. The high plateaus possess incredible terrains for almost all kinds of winter sports. The zone is also visited during the summer. Smolyan municipal is looking for investors for the mega project since May. The main condition for those who wish to invest is to have previous experience in the construction of such equipment and to have already invested at least 50 million euro in such projects. The future complex will have 16 lifts, 8 drugs, just three refreshing sites and a parking lot for 3000 cars. There won’t be any road to the pistes; tourist would just be able to climb them by lift. “Perelik” was planned to be like the reputable Alpine resorts with a lot of equipment and never ending pistes. The construction of hotels is still not planned. The main reason is to keep the nature virgin, and tourist to use the already existing base in the nearby situated villages- Shiroka laka, Stoykit, Gela, Sticle, Solishta, Mugla. The investment can only be covered if the complex welcomes 10 000 skiers. The hotel base in the sites of the municipal is not enough and that is why Raikovski lyvadi and Ezarata will be separate resorts, explained the mayor of Smolyan Dora Yankova. Smolyan, Pamporovo and the villages west of the town form a magical triangle below Snejanka and Perlik. Each of the villages has incredible history, individuality and charm. That is why they are turning into favorite sites for holiday. In contrast to many sites in the even places, these are live villages with good infrastructure, unique nature and captivating calmness. They are very close to the major resort and the huge interest towards them and the new projects are guaranteeing their development. Shiroka Luka Shiroka luaka village is 21 kilometers away from Smolyan and 10 kilometers from Pamporovo. It is situated on the major road from Smolyan to Devin and all of the waste waters are flowing into Skirokolashka River. The streets are with asphalt covering and are in good condition. The small streets to the houses are very old and are made of cobblestone. The specific of the village does not allow them to be reconstructed and will stay like that. The main road is well kept during the winter because it is heading from Devin and Dospat municipals to the Smolyan regional centre. Shirocka Luka is electrified and does not have problems with electricity. All mobile phones are working in the village. There is also a stationary telephone network. There is a doctor and dentist office in the village. The internet connection is quite good. The village has enough shops, restaurants, cafes and even a disco. There are no industry manufactories in the village, which would endanger the ecology in the site. The hotels in the village offer 120 beds. 140 of the houses in the village are cultural monuments. There is an ethnographic museum several Roman bridges and 2 churches. One of them was built 170 years ago for just 38 days. There are 4 more chapels in the village. Shiroka Luka is a crossroad to almost all of the walking routes to the middle Rodopi. The village hosts the National musical high school. There is one school and 2 children’s homes. Shiroka Luka is known to be one of the safest sites in the country. The specific of the village explains the fact that properties are rarely being sold. An old house which can be bought just for the land and is not suitable for living can be bought for 25- 35 euro per square meter. The land is about 10- 25 euro per square meter and depends on its locality.