Plzeň sent the investor of the giant building a list of steps after the referendum

Plzeň - The official letter about the steps taken by the city of Plzeň after the referendum, which rejected the construction of a giant shopping center, was sent today by economic deputy mayor Martin Zrzavecký (ČSSD) to the investor. He also called on the head of the board of the development company Amádeus for a meeting, which the city wants to happen as soon as possible. The deputy, selected by the council as Plzeň's representative for negotiations with the investor, is also seeking a reputable law firm. They should help the city with solution proposals and any potential legal disputes with the investor, Zrzavecký told ČTK.
     Plzeň residents decided in mid-January in a referendum that the city must "take all possible steps" to prevent the construction costing 2.5 billion crowns. The investor will decide on further steps only after the municipality announces its course of action.
     "We want to select the lawyers by the end of next week. We will act quickly. We aim to have the external lawyer's opinion by the end of February," Zrzavecký stated. The city will further this week urge the Ministry of the Interior to precisely explain the term "all possible steps," which Plzeň must take according to the referendum to prevent the construction. The law firm will receive all documentation regarding the Corso Americká project and assess the status and risks of the city's actions.
     The official letter informs the investor about what the councilors and representatives agreed upon last Thursday. In the upcoming meeting with the head of Amádeus, the city intends to discuss changes to their plans or the purchase or exchange of nearly a three-hectare plot of land where Amádeus wants to build.
     For now, the municipality cannot unilaterally terminate the lease agreement on the peripheral city lands needed by the investor for the construction. Any termination would also require Amádeus's consent, which has a lease until June 30, by which it must meet the regulatory conditions set by the municipal architectural commission. "The contract can only be terminated by mutual agreement," he added.
     Amádeus has stated several times that it does not want to sell its land to the city. If it were to agree to do so, it would not be for hundreds of millions of crowns, as estimated by the city, but would demand single-digit billion amounts from Plzeň, including already incurred costs and sunk investment.
     Officials from the municipality will also prepare a change in the regulatory conditions for the area in question by the end of March based on the referendum results and assess the possibilities of changing the zoning plan. These steps have been approved by the council.
     "We are eagerly waiting for what the city sends us, and we will act promptly based on that," said Amádeus representative Jan Petřík to ČTK today. The investor is not currently considering redesigning the project into a smaller structure that would not need the peripheral lands. The zoning procedure, which the investor suspended at the city's request until the referendum results, is now proceeding, according to him.
     Zrzavecký will explain the potential risks arising from the referendum results to the European Investment Bank in Brussels on February 4, which finances large constructions in Plzeň. "They will tell us what risks they see for the city in terms of future financial management," he stated.