Gigantic investment of 61 million euros: Megacomplex "Paseo del Mar" in Torrevieja opens on June 11!

After more than four years of battling difficult ground, delays and dramatically rising costs, the port of Torrevieja is finally getting its new heart. The Paseo del Mar, the highly anticipated entertainment and shopping center, has officially confirmed its opening date. But is the city fully ready for this major event?

Costs that make your head spin

Initial estimates spoke of 20 million euros, but the final bill for this gigantic investment is a shocking 61 million euros. Why such a drastic jump? The battle against nature alone has taken a fortune. In early 2023, while pouring the foundations for the new parking and commercial space, the investors had to deal with unusually high groundwater levels - less than a meter below the surface! This forced the driving of more than five hundred piles (twice as many as planned), costing an additional 17 million euros.

Behind this massive cash injection is a group of private investors, led by Empresas del Sol entrepreneur Enrique Riquelme de La Torre, as well as local developers from the Vega Baja region. The concession for this major port area has been granted by the Generalitat for as long as 50 years.

An ocean of entertainment in the heart of the city

The opening, scheduled for Thursday, 11 June, will not be a typical official inauguration (that will take place when the city finally comes to grips with the delayed work around the complex), but the center is moving full steam ahead. What awaits visitors to the 20,000-square-meter lot?

• A true feast: Nearly 30 dining establishments, including powerful chains and themed restaurants, which until now have been lacking in Torrevieja. Here you will find, among others: McDonald's, KFC, Taco Bell, Foster's Hollywood, 100 Montaditos, Saona, Sibuya, Casa Carmen or ice cream shop Amorino.
• Entertainment at the highest level: Four state-of-the-art movie theaters operated by the NeoCine chain and a professional bowling alley by Ozone.
• Convenience: Underground parking for 600 cars has been in operation for more than a year.

The concessionaire is already announcing on its newly opened social media channels a "full weekend" of activities to celebrate the opening.

Grand opening in the shadow of construction chaos?

While the center itself is breathtaking, its surroundings still leave much to be desired. The Torrevieja City Council, headed by Mayor Eduardo Dolón, has allocated as much as 40 million euros to revitalize the area around the port. The work has gained unprecedented momentum in recent weeks, but the specter of traffic chaos still hangs in the air.

The former promenade of La Libertad is still not completed, and the solution to the issue of entry and exit from the zone remains a great unknown. The bayfront promenade and the revitalization of the area around the historic Customs building and the Mínguez pier still await completion.

The traditional attractions to which tourists have become accustomed also remain a big question mark. The famous amusement park, which has been "exiled" to Antonio Soria Park for almost four years, is expected to return to its renovated site in June, although city authorities are still afraid to give specific dates. The situation with the famous market is similar - the tender for luxury booths for some 150 stalls (each worth as much as 30,000 euros!) still hasn't even started.

Will the "Paseo del Mar" be a spectacular success, or will it drown in urban renovations? One thing is certain - on June 11 the eyes of all residents will be on the port of Torrevieja.