Faro council has presented a proposal, 'Farformosa,' to the Algarve Ports Commission for a new marina and hotel development, plus a maritime research centre, at the all-but-abandoned commercial dock area of the city.
"This is a vision we have for this space. It is our contribution. Obviously, whoever has the jurisdiction can accept it or not, or modify it,” said mayor, Rogério Bacalhau.
The proposal was presented to the new Algarve Ports Commission back in March 2017, and its future is dependent on the ports administration and the government which has jurisdiction over the area that currently is used in part by Cimpor to export cement.
The proposal is a partnership between the council and the Centre for Marine Sciences and is being launched today, Friday June 2nd, at the Municipal Library.
The Ria Formosa and the a university department headquarters, a center for 300 researchers, "are the cornerstones of the project," which aims to give "a new identity" to the 18-hectare zone.
The possibility of making the space into a new headquarters for the Sea Science Center of the University of Algarve has been added as a sexy component and one the government will like as it tries to develop Portugal as a destination for companies involved in the exploitation of marine resources, including those developing controversial techniques in seabed mining. See 'Government moves to support highly controversial 'deep sea mining''
"It's a new opportunity for the Sea Science Centre and the city. We need a new space that can accommodate everything we want to constitute a magnet in terms of teaching and research worldwide," said the director of CCMAR, Adelino Canario.
The council needs private investors for the tourism element of the plan with three hotels and a 400 berth marina on offer.
"We have had contact from many investors, who, as a rule, are looking for projects by the sea. The space is public but we want private use to leverage public investment," said Bacalhau.
A conference centre is included in the project, with a 1,200-seat auditorium, a microbusiness incubation center for marine biology and a development center for the University of the Algarve - plus a sailing school and a ship repair yard for good measure.
According to an initial estimate of the promoters, the project could represent an investment of €170 million, creating more than 1,500 direct jobs.
