17 billion euros in investments, 164,000 jobs directly and 97,000 indirectly. Which to house the mammoth project? Madrid against Barcelona: the contenders are the most powerful cities of Spain … and two eternal rivals, in politics as on the football field.
A funny clásico, fanned by a singular trophy: the U.S. company Las Vegas Sands wants to establish in Spain's largest casino complex on the Old Continent. "Eurovegas" must be the European version of the world capital of the game Six casinos, 36,000 hotel rooms, three golf courses, a 15,000-seat auditorium
.
The figures, astronomical, are salivating entrepreneurs and politicians, while the country is mired in negative growth and an unemployment rate near 23%. The real estate engine "miracle" Spanish is down. Regions and municipalities in crisis seek relays create jobs and tax revenue.
In desperation, local politicians are suitable for all investors games. Left to take a project still vague for a real growth driver. Leaves to forget that five years ago, a similar idea had generated the same enthusiasm in Aragon, before developers do not suddenly reverse.
Barcelona or Madrid? Sheldon Adelson, owner of Las Vegas Sands, hesitates. After a year of study and 7.6 million euros spent, however, the decision must fall rapidly before the summer, the billionaire promises.
Rebates and exemptions
His communications director, Ron Reese, said the two cities "are tied." The project, said Reese, who will go to that show the more "flexible". The list of requirements is long Adelson as a letter to Santa. His company is seeking exemptions from social contributions and tax rebates. She wants the standards against money laundering to be relaxed to facilitate, she said, remittances players. Besides other applications wackiest, like creating a MBA in the gaming industry, or the lifting of the ban on smoking in rooms.
These requirements seem exorbitant to upset any politician. In Barcelona, we recall that the project needs to attract 11 million visitors. "Quality tourism" believes the President of Catalonia, Artur Mas.
In Madrid, the figure of 260,000 jobs dizzy: it represents half the number of unemployed in the region. The president of the autonomous government, Esperanza Aguirre, has promised to make "all necessary legal modifications, as they do not violate [its] principles."
Demonstration in Madrid
Thousands of people rallied Sunday in the streets of Madrid to the appeal of unions, against labor reform implemented by the government the right to fight against unemployment, the mobilization test before a general strike scheduled for March 29.
The two main Spanish unions, UGT and CCOO, have called for demonstrations in 60 cities in Spain, to protest a reform they deem "unfair and ineffective" and "defense of public services".
Carrying red flags and placards with the words "no budget cuts", "No to social regression", shouting "we will not pay their debts with health and education", thousands of protesters stormed the center Madrid.
The Conservative government of Mariano Rajoy adopted on February 11 for further reform of labor market flexibility, including lower redundancy payments and measures to stimulate youth employment.