Deadline extended for expression of interest into Marsa Sports Village

The deadline was extended to October 25 rather than yesterday, and a government statement said that the call was extended “due to requests by prospective investors who wanted more time to evaluate proposals for the project.”

The project covers an area of 812,000 square metres of land covering a number of sports disciplines, while also proposing improved and more  facilities, including an equestrian centre, rugby pitches, and a golf club.

Prospective investors are being obliged to develop the sports facilities according to international standards as specified by the sports organisations involved while being in charge of the operation and maintenance over the years.

Government – through the secretariat for youth and sport headed by parliamentary secretary Clyde Puli – is focusing plenty of attention on the development of the Marsa Sports Village project after talks with foreign investors for the White Rocks Sports Village have so far been locked in a stalemate.

But the Marsa Sports Village project was also at the centre of controversy, as it was also touted to be the reason for the resignation earlier this year of Matthew Brincat as Chairman of the Marsa Racecourse.

After talks with Clyde Puli, Brincat had retracted his resignation, denying media reports however that he had previously thrown in the towel over the way government was handling the Marsa project.

Government had admitted to MaltaToday that representatives from the parliamentary secretariat for youth and sport had met with “various potential investors” prior to issuing a call for expression of interest for the development of the Marsa Sports Village.

But doubts have been raised over the call for the expression of interest, as it transpires that representatives from a prominent developer have met up with officials from Clyde Puli’s secretariat about the project.

When asked about the meetings, a spokesman for Puli’s office admitted that “the vision for the Marsa Sports Village has attracted interest from various quarters including various potential private investors who requested meetings to obtain a better understanding of Government’s vision for the Marsa sports facilities, announced back in 2009.”

The spokesman said that “in all these meetings, the vision was explained, while it was made amply clear that the details of the project still had to be compiled following the conclusion of the consultation process with the relevant sports organisations. It was also explained that the eventual developer will only be chosen by a public tender process.”

The meetings raised eyebrows within many circles, after it transpired that the prominent developer whom the parliamentary secretariat held talks over the project, has a special interest in the whole area, including the development of a hotel and other commercial interests.

“The call for expression of interest launched last week marks the continuation of the administrative process towards implementing Government’s vision to create state-of-the-art sports facilities in Marsa,” Puli’s spokesman said.

In an email sent to MaltaToday, it was explained by the parliamentary secretariat that the vision for the Marsa Sports Village has been available in the public domain since 2009, and is one of the corner stone initiatives taken by the Parliamentary Secretariat for Youth and Sports.

He added that since government launched the idea about the project, two consultation processes have taken place with interested stakeholders.

“MEPA carried out a public consultation process prior to approving amendments to the Local Plan presented by the Parliamentary Secretariat based on the Master Plan for the Sports Village.”

Another consultation process was carried out by the Parliamentary Secretariat with a number of sports associations, sports clubs and, representatives of various sports disciplines, individual athletes and members of sports organisations. This consultation process had a dual aim: to provide information on the vision and concept for the Marsa Sports Village and to compile a list of specific requirements for the project based on the wishes of the sports organisations themselves.

According to the parliamentary secretariat, the “call for expression of interest is the result of this consultation process.”