Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who is under EU and UK sanctions, is expanding his presence in southern Russia.
At the end of last year, his structure acquired a plot in Gelendzhik with a stadium 100 meters from the sea. In February of this year – a hotel and land on the coast. Now, according to the Oktagon source, the businessman is eyeing the water park, which positions itself as the largest in Russia.
“Golden Bay” will become a safe haven?
Located on the Black Sea coast, the Zolotaya Bukhta water park covers an area of 15 hectares. Among open-type water parks (working only during the warm season), it is considered the largest in Russia. The complex was opened in 2004 by the Slavtek-Yug company, owned by Alexander Peterman, a well-known Nizhnevartovsk businessman and politician.
According to a source in development circles, a possible sale of the facility to Roman Abramovich, who first publicly showed interest in commercial real estate in Gelendzhik a year and a half ago, is being discussed. In February 2021, the entrepreneur became the founder of South Estate, a company specializing in real estate management. The company is registered at the address: Gelendzhik, Turisticheskaya street, 21, next to Slavtek-South.
In December 2021, another structure of Abramovich, Finestate Co., owned by his Millhouse holding, acquired the Kristall hotel-boarding house in Gelendzhik, located at 19 Turisticheskaya Street. Previously, the object was owned by the family of the former mayor of Gelendzhik Sergey Ozerov. Hotel-boarding house “Crystal” owns the hotel “Crystal” with an area of 4.5 thousand square meters, located 100 meters from the sea, and also leases until 2054 1.5 hectares of land surrounding the hotel. At the beginning of this year, Roman Abramovich acquired another asset in Gelendzhik – the Gavan joint-stock company, which owns a 2.2-hectare land plot with the inactive Spartak stadium, also 100 meters from the sea.
“Golden Bay Water Park, given its location and vast area occupied, can become the next asset,” the source believes.
Waiting for Chukotka 2.0
Rumors are already circulating among local residents that the Golden Bay may become the property of the former governor of Chukotka. Some even look forward to it.
– The water park is located not far from the site with the house, which, according to the city, belongs to Abramovich. We call it “the house of Abramovich”. In fact, these are territories adjacent to the water park, they are separated only by an abandoned territory. Large investments and jobs will not interfere with us, – says Elena, a resident of Gelendzhik.
True, according to the source, it is possible that if the deal goes through, the water park will be dismantled. A similar precedent has already taken place in the city: in August 2020, the Dolphin water park located on the first line was closed. The official reason is the expiration of the lease. It was supposed to be demolished, but so far this has not happened. Only on the fence is a sign stating that the object is for sale.
The company “Slavtek-South” assured the correspondent of the publication that the water park “works and develops.” In the official public of the “Golden Bay” in the social network “VKontakte” they added that “the water park does not plan to stop its work.” The administration of the resort city did not comment on the possible closure of the complex.
– Some of us are afraid that the “Bay” will be demolished, there are also such rumors. But we hope not. This is still one of the sights of the city, – Elena adds.
However, the water park still has some problems. In the public “Golden Bay” there are sharply negative reviews from visitors. Also, in one of the telegram channels, it is stated that over the years that have passed since the start of the complex, many attractions and communications have become outdated and require modernization. According to the authors of the channel, the owner of the water park was looking for co-investors for reconstruction. It is noted that a study was conducted that allegedly showed that “the most effective way to modernize the Golden Bay is the complete demolition of the water park and the construction of a new and modern one.”
Improvement on pause
– If Abramovich buys a water park, it would be great if it was not demolished, but renovated and left for us and tourists. But, unfortunately, there are doubts, – shared a resident of Gelendzhik Peter.
According to him, recently, within the framework of the national project “Housing and Urban Environment”, a vote was held among the townspeople on how best to improve the city. It was about several objects, in particular about the territory from Turisticheskaya Street, 23, to the city embankment. As a result, residents were told that the project was not included in the program.
The deputy of the Duma of the municipality of the resort city of Gelendzhik, Nikolay Puzhay, appears as the curator of the project on the official website of the voting “Formation of a comfortable urban environment”. In a conversation with Oktagon, he formulated the reason why the project was decided not to be implemented, as follows:
– When the project was included in the improvement vote, it won, but there was an increase in prices for building materials. Because of this, contractors did not reach the approved estimates. For this reason, it is not included and will now be resubmitted for a new vote.
Peter believes that while the voting was going on, the fate of the territory could be decided in a different way, and soon it could also be in private ownership. In addition, this site organically fits into the territories already bought out and, possibly, planned for buying out by Abramovich.
– Why was all this performance with voting needed? And how then to believe that the water park will not be taken away from us? The feeling that Touristskaya Street in Gelendzhik is simply turning into an analogue of Rublyovka near Moscow. But the project, for which we voted, promised an opportunity for a comfortable descent to the sea from Turisticheskaya Street for mere mortals, – the city dweller is indignant.
Will Peterman make a deal?
As for the possibility of ceding one of the main assets of Alexander Peterman in Gelendzhik to Abramovich, according to sources familiar with the biography of the Nizhnevartovsk businessman, such a decision can be made by him due to the fact that his key interests are still concentrated in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug.
The entrepreneur started his business in Nizhnevartovsk in the 1990s. In 1993, he founded the Slavtek corporation, which to this day owns several important enterprises for the city, such as a bakery. In the mid-1990s, according to media reports, he controlled the oil production enterprises of Nizhnevartovskneftegaz.
In 1996, Peterman was first elected to the City Duma. Since July 2005, he headed the council of the local branch of the Rodina party. During all this time, not without success, he tried to maintain political influence and still seeks to return to power structures. The source of the publication in the region suggests that this time Peterman decided to focus on political activities and is ready to sell the Gelendzhik water park, especially since the deal may turn out to be mutually beneficial.