structural development

 

ENO project to strengthen the tourism industry in Bad Muskau: The “Muskau Ice Palace” to promote regional value creation is supported with 13 million euros from the coal phase-out money.

Last Wednesday, the 7th Regional Monitoring Committee met in the Lausitz district under the chairmanship of the Görlitz district administrator Dr. Stephan Meyer in the Silesian Museum in Görlitz . When he and Dr. Romy Reinisch , alderman in the Bautzen district, appeared before the assembled regional press after the meeting, there was great tension. Which projects would be awarded the contract? After all, it was a total of around 172 million euros... And the task force not only had the project in Bad Muskau in the running, but was also excited about the Nochten boulder park and the municipality of Kodersdorf ( more on both projects here - and soon on this one body) that we advised on the application...

 

Dr. Romy Reinisch , Dr. Stephan Meyer , Jörg Mühlberg , managing director of the state-owned structural development company Saxon Agency for Structural Development GmbH (SAS) and Jörg Huntemann , district representative for the Saxon State Ministry for Regional Development and the table of contents of the SAS press kit

 

Salvation: 3 times yes!

For the municipality of Kodersdorf and the innovation forum planned there it is 5 million euros, for the Findlingspark Nochten 2.5 million - and the "Muskau Ice Palace" is also on the list of projects worthy of funding. This large and forward-looking tourism project by the ENO structural change task force was approved and is being funded with 13 million euros.

"We from the ENO Structural Change Task Force are of course pleased that our work has been recognized and deemed correct and important for the development of the tourist infrastructure in the northern district. But we are actually happy for the entire Görlitz district, for Bad Muskau and all the people, those who live in the unaffordable country and also those who vacation with us." explains project manager Uwe Garack , who led the application through to submission. "A very good sign for the region that will radiate far and wide." he is sure.

 

In the “Muskauer Eispalast” team of the ENO Structural Development Task Force, everyone involved since 2022 is very happy. Everyone was involved, sometimes more, sometimes less, over the duration of the project development: Steffi Dreier (far left) from the area company, next to her Emilia Grass , Saskia Brosius , and to the right of her our controller Tina Friebe (who was not directly involved in the project, but always over keeps track of everything), top right Uwe Garack , below Wilhelmine Buscha and Laura Horst . Immediately after the announcement, the ENO received a nice compliment from District Administrator Dr. Stephan Meyer: "The ENO has already prepared and supported many projects, so this is also a great success for the Unzahlbarland - and the entire Saxon Lusatia, where we have already implemented over 700 million euros . With so many With good projects, the positive structural change is tangible and becomes widely visible!"

 

The aging industrial park on Heideweg Bad Muskau will soon become a tourist flagship of the northern region in the Görlitz district

 

What lies behind the title “Muskau Ice Palace”?

caravan campsite already offers overnight accommodation for travelers, will become an extensive offer for tourists and especially cyclists in the Unaffordable Land. Because hardly any form of travel is as booming in our region as cycling and cycle touring tourism .

 

A rare insight into the RBA, which always takes place behind closed doors to the public and press

 

A central element of the project with the special name (explanation: further down in the text) is the provision of low-threshold overnight accommodation that can be booked without a minimum rental period. For this purpose, House 1 will be converted into an attractive location with 12 holiday apartments and 24 hostel rooms, making a total of 124 beds available. House 2 will also be converted and expanded to offer guests modern showers and toilets, a common room, a kitchen and special rooms for storing bicycles, for example.

In addition, the offer is supplemented by the development of 38 caravan parking spaces with modern facilities. These measures are intended not only to attract tourists, but also to involve the regional population. A café for guests and locals, a bicycle shop with a service point and a shop with regional products will round off the offering and contribute to the attractiveness of the project.

A particular focus is on strengthening cycle tourism as a sustainable form of travel. The aim is not only to appeal to environmentally conscious tourists, but also to strengthen the value chains in the region's tourism sector.

The project also focuses on the creation of indirect, integrative jobs that are intended to offer new perspectives, especially to people in difficult life situations.

 

Sketch of the project from the Weise Planning Company, Görlitz

With this comprehensive approach, the “Ice Palace” project aims to sustainably promote the tourism industry and establish the region as an attractive travel destination. Strengthening the economic structure and developing additional value creation potential promise positive development for the entire region. We would like to thank Weise Planungsgesellschaft mbH in Görlitz for their support!

...and why is the whole thing called “Ice Palace”?

The name “Ice Palace” has a origin story - as does the entire project ( you can read it here in the UBL blog ). Originally inspired by the proximity to the Ober- und Badepark, the name also refers to the famous Pückler ice cream, which is very popular throughout Germany. In addition, there are historical regional references to the Ice Age: The Muskauer fold arch is a Ice Age terminal moraine area, and in the district office of Forst there is an Ice Age mammoth that symbolizes the geological history of the region.

This connection to the Ice Age and regional peculiarities underlines the complexity of the “Ice Palace” concept – there is something for every taste. This is complemented by the ice cellar and the warm brine, which combine cold and heat in a fascinating way and thus underline the unique character of the project.

Regional support for structural change projects

A total of twelve structural change projects were approved with around 172 million euros in federal funding. Dr. Stephan Meyer, Chairman of the RBA, was satisfied: “Thanks to the established project presentation, all members can ask the project sponsors questions in advance and deal in detail with the projects and their goals. The projects up for decision today are of high quality,” and added that the structural development with rolling excavators and groundbreakings had long since become visible and tangible. With regard to the ENO, he later explained: "The ENO has already prepared and supported many projects, so this is also a great success for the Unzahlbarland - and the entire Saxon Lusatia, where we have already invested over 700 million euros the implementation ."

In addition to making future-oriented decisions, the RBA also takes stock and evaluates what has been achieved so far. The Saxon Agency for Structural Development presented a detailed analysis, and Stefan Bischoff from MAS Gesellschaft für Marktanalyse und Strategie mbH provided a first insight into the Lausitzmonitor , which presented on June 13, 2024 in the New Town Hall in Hoyerswerda . Dr. Meyer emphasized the importance of these insights for the transformation process in Lusatia and looks forward to the comparable results of the surveys in Lusatia and the Central German Revier.

background

The RBA projects discussed and evaluated follow the “ Funding Guidelines for Grants under the Coal Regions Investment Act – RL InvKG ”. The Regional Monitoring Committee plays an important role in the project selection process. The approved projects are submitted to the Free State of Saxony and the federal government for a final decision. The next meeting of the RBA in the Lusatian district is planned for November 13, 2024 in the Bautzen district.

 

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